"that when you return
to bathe in dust and build your nests again
in a roofless world where no one hears your cheeps,
only a starling’s modem mimicry
will remind you of how you once supplied
the incidental music of our lives."
to bathe in dust and build your nests again
in a roofless world where no one hears your cheeps,
only a starling’s modem mimicry
will remind you of how you once supplied
the incidental music of our lives."
From
For the House Sparrow, in Decline
Paul Farley
4 comments:
You know, here in America this bird is much despised, but I am not sure that I am of the same opinion. This little bird is often the first species most people learn since it frequents yards, parks and fast food places! I have heard that this species is in decline in England. How sad it would be to lose any species, even ones that we think are so common. I was amazed when I saw these birds in Central Park out in the woods eating insects and worms and acting like wild birds!
Hi Kathie
Here they are really despised especially for their role in the decline of Bluebirds. In our area they do seem to be declining as the House Finches seem to be out competing them. I agree with you, as I have mentioned in my blog entries and poems we seem to take a really strong “moral” stance against introduced animals, animals that are native but increasing their numbers like Magpies, pest animals etc. Of course we are always at the heart of the problem. While it would be nice to have many of the native species in my yard the prairie landscape of Calgary in winter is very sparse and the small huddled massed of sparrows yearning to be warm add interest to an otherwise lonely scene.
I have been remembering these line whenever I think of birds lately.
"When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang."
This is a really good shot.
And thanks for introducing me to a new writer.
Guy, thanks for the response and the poem!
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