Night heron at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in NH
I’ve been immersed in birds this summer. I’ve long enjoyed watching (and writing about) the birds at my feeders (here and here and lots of other places!). This year I’ve upped my interest and spent a considerable amount of time photographing birds (or at least trying to) and reading about them. (Note–If you’re looking for a fascinating non-fiction read, pick up The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson.) This intensified bird interest has percolated through my life, emerging unexpectedly. For example, my responses to Laura Purdie Salas’s past three 15 Words or Less challenges have all centered on birds, regardless of the photo prompt! Here’s last week’s example, in response to this filtered photo of a fountain in Cyprus:
Photo credit to Laura Purdie Salas
Inspiration
Fledgling dreams
flutter
in smoldering ashes
From flames
Phoenix
rises
soars
©M. Hogan, 2018
Then this week I started to share my recent bird rescue adventure for my Slice of Life, and it evolved into a 4-part series! (If you’re interested, the first part is here.) In short, I’ve got birds on the brain, so Christie Wyman’s bird-related poem challenge felt like a natural fit.
Here are a couple of bird-related poems I’ve written recently:
Swallows
Swift swooping swallows
Wing through shadows
At dawn and dusk in a
Lively
Loop-de-loop
Of aerial predation
What a show!
©2018 M. Hogan
Swallow and reflection–I’m still working on those action shots, darn it!
Then, back to another love of mine: Dandelions! Kat Apel, superstar Poetry Swapper, wrote a double reverse acrostic dandelion poem for me. What? I never even knew such a thing was possible! Stunning! I read it again and again, awed by this poetic feat. She makes it all sound so natural and fluid, yet manages to stay within that insanely ambitious structure! Then, to top it off, she presents it with a delightful photo and all sorts of playful fonts. A visual feast as well!
Kat also included a wonderful assortment of photo postcards–Beautiful pictures with often humorous friendship quotes. Another big “YES!” for the Summer Poetry Swap. Thanks so much, Kat!
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Christie Wyman whom I recently met in real life! We crossed paths in July at the Heinemann Teacher Tour in Portsmouth, NH. Before that (and since then) I’ve spent loads of time enjoying her writing at her blog, Wondering and Wandering. Stop by to enjoy the flock of poems that have flown in for today’s gathering!
Nix the comfort zone 
What a joy-filled post. That double (dare) acrostic is pretty amazing. I cannot resist the sound of swooping swallows….possibly the prettiest sound heard today. And those hummingbirds patchworking the sky. Great image.
I agree with you about the poetry swap. It’s been wonderful. I’m jealous that you got to meet Christie. I want to meet her too!
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Birds bring me such joy on a daily basis. I could watch the swallows all day and the hummingbird antics at the feeder always make me laugh. Reading all these wonderful bird-related posts is a total treat!
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Oh, the more poems and pics I see featuring hummingbirds, the more I want to observe them. (Not see. Observe. For longer…) Love that little patchwork needle! Mayhaps it could stitch up a double reverse acrostic! 😉 I’m so glad my #PoetrySwap parcel flew safely over the ocean. It has been a joy to be involved in the swap. Next year I’m going to up the stakes and do more. 🙂 Btw, Loretta (the lorikeet) has featured in one of my bird poem pics for today’s post. 🙂
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Forgot to say – also love your night heron pic!!
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I’m so thankful that the hummingbirds like to hang out around my house. Their jewel tones are stunning in the sun and their constant whirr and chatter is endlessly entertaining. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent trying to capture them in photos. Thanks again for your amazing poem–after trying to write one myself, I’m even more impressed!! Wow! I’m off to check out your post and visit Loretta. 🙂
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You are having too much fun with your writing and photography this summer! How will you ever fit teaching into your day (wink, wink)? All joking aside, my favorite is the hummingbird poem and pic. And then there is the double reverse acrostic! Very impressive and perhaps a new challenge for you!
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I’m actually a bit worried about the balancing act that begins with the advent of school! Also, I’ve already tried to write a double reverse acrostic but haven’t gotten too far. It’s a doozy of a challenge!
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These bird celebrations are simply wonderful. Your poems and pictures are terrific, Molly. I love seeing swallows at dusk, those ‘lively loop-de-loops’. And you must have a wonderful dandelion collection now, a scrapbook of those sunny flowers. Kat created a wonderful swap for you.
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I’m also having a great time reading all these bird poems. What a great challenge Christie has posed for us!
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What is it about birds and poetry? They fly together in lovely formation. Kat’s poem for you is one I could read again and again. Not sure if I want to try it. Seems too challenging.
I heard a podcast about the feather thief. Fascinating.
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I had hoped to share Kat’s poetry swap goodies with my own double reverse acrostic. Yeah…well, that didn’t happen. It’s quite a challenge. I do hope to finish one someday, but for now it’s going on the back burner.
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These are lovely. I love what you came up with for Laura’s 15 words or less photo, and the imagery of the hummingbird as a needle quilting is just beautiful.
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Thank you! I’ve spent so much time watching hummingbirds this summer! They fascinate me.
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Love your poems, patchworking the internet with clever word play and beautiful images.
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Thanks, Brenda. I’m going to miss having lots of writing time!
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I’m going to miss having my three kids home all day.
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You might like the book “Wesley the Owl” by Stacey O’Brien. I just read it and it really made me appreciate birds more. I now find myself with a bird feeder and stopping to watch! Love your poems!
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Thanks for the book recommendation. I LOVE owls and I’m definitely going to check this out. I’m reading “The Genius of Birds” by Jennifer Ackerman right now after a friend suggested it. I’m not sure how I’m going to keep up with my bird-related reading once school starts!
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Double reverse acrostic?!!? Wow! I especially like those a’s: “artless flora” and “airborne fiesta”!
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“Airborne fiesta” is my favorite! 🙂 Since I got Kat’s package and poem, I’ve been viewing words differently. I came across the word “afficianado” the other day and immediately thought: “Oooohhh…a word that ends in “o”–I’ll have to remember that one! lol
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Someone should probably check on Kat… after that double and reverso acrostic, she must have at least a headache!! Wonderful bounty here today.
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Haha. You’re so funny. And sweet. x
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Maybe writing a reverso is easier if you live Down Under? lol
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Hahaha… Good one. This one wasn’t too bad, to be honest. I have one in my Antarctic WIP that took 7hrs to write 49 words – one of which had to end with ‘u’ and fit historically. (That line took about 6hrs, I am sure!)
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Oh, man! Your post is FULL of awesome-ness. I really liked your poems, especially the hummingbird one. And Dandelions are my favorite flower. Kat’s double reverse acrostic is amazing! Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Rebecca. I love dandelions as well. Margaret Simon also created a wonderful dandelion poem for me in an earlier swap this summer (https://mbhmaine.wordpress.com/2018/06/28/elizabeth-coatsworth-and-poetry-swap/). I’m determined to write a double reverse acrostic some day, but I may stick with a really short word! lol
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Your bird poems swoop and soar through your post! And wow–what a poetic feat with the double reverso acrostic poem. My brain hurts just thinking about it!
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Thanks, Kay! I’m still marveling at Kat’s poem. Wow!
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This is a gem of a post, Molly. Your bird poems are wonderful! I especially those “swift swooping swallows.” And that double-reverse acrostic! Wow! The Feather Thief is at the top of my TBR pile. Glad to know you liked it.
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