Monday, May 3, 2010

For the birds



As you have gathered, I love wildlife refuges and birding. One of my all-time favorite places to go is the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Because it is close to my home, I go there often. Today the weather was changeable and the rain discouraged me from painting, but I was thrilled to go to the Refuge.

How different it is for me to go to a park where for a quarter, anyone can buy a sack of breadcrumbs and seed and the once-wild birds come close to the sack-holders in an unnatural way.

Birds in the Park

Natural caution lost

you pursue grain filled hands

lazy, survival sure

and greed

I walk among you

whispering fly north

to the Wildlife Refuge

where you can live secure and free


Ignorance is taking comfort

in captivity and bondage

calling it a good life.







4 comments:

Suzanne said...

Lovely poem and photos. The birds will miss you.

Jan Yates, SCA said...

You are a kindred spirit re the birds! I HAVE to ask--any Bobolinks??
and I must have missed a post or two--are you moving?

Celeste Bergin said...

beautiful poem--I feel the same at zoos--happy to see the animals, but so sad that they are not where they should be.

Ralph said...

I have a little bird table in my back garden always stocked with seed and fat ball treats. I get a real variety of birds visit each day. Thanks for the poem .