My mother-in-law just returned from a trip to Whidbey Island in Washington where she did some amazing bird watching with her second son’s family. I was most intrigued by her description of the western sandpiper’s murmuration. I’ve only seen murmurations on video. I’d love to see one is real life. Breathtaking!
Laura Purdie Salas posts an image on Thursday for a weekly poetry writing prompt, “15 words or less.” This week she had a picture of a sculpture in the Houston Convention Center that I probably passed by numerous times and didn’t take notice. The art piece looked like a flock of birds. My mind went to sandpiper murmurations. (My sister-in-law sent me this video. It’s mesmerizing.)
Dunlin sandpiper migration
high wind murmuration
frosty sunrise creation
bird watchers’ salvation(c) Margaret Simon
If you read my poem on Laura’s site (we post them in the comments), you may notice a correction in the breed of bird from sandhill crane to dunlin sandpiper. I did some fact checking.
Mary Lee Hahn invited us to join her in a December haiku-a-day project. I’ve started early. When I returned from my morning walk, I took this picture of grandmother oak, but what I noticed was the color of the cypress tree behind her. I don’t usually see this color. Most of the time, the cypress trees quickly shed their needles. I wonder why they are holding on longer this fall.
Bronze cypress needles
cling as a child on rope swing
resist winter’s grip#haikuforhope
(c) Margaret Simon
I’ve seen videos but would love to see a murmuration, too, Margaret. The trip sounds divine! I love your poem capturing it, that you managed the rhyming, too. And the connection to a child is lovely, “resist winter’s grip” is real! Have a lovely Friday!
The video is so beautiful. Like watching a ballet. And I love the music. Your poems are terrific too. Trying to decide if I can somehow squeeze haiku-ing in on top of everything else- practicing Spanish, CYBILS reading, etc. I have loved being part of those poetry communities in the past.
Thank you for sharing your poems and that video. We have murmurations of starlings around here in the fall which are amazing to see. The light color of the sandpipers makes these look ethereal. Thank you for reminding me about the haiku, too!
Murmurations fascinate me. We get small ones (I call them bird blobs), but I’d love to see one of the huge ones in the video that spits apart into multiples. Nature is endlessly hopeful.
Love the middle line of your haiku. Perfect.
(I’m gathering my #haikuforhope at Poetrepository http://www.maryleehahn.com/)
ahhhhhh. I thought I saw that word murmuration before…couldn’t place it. But yes, it was Thursday’s 15 word challenge. I love the word. It seems like one that belongs in your word cabinet. A lovely, poem with the murmuration becoming a salvation. Old Grandmother Oak has a thing or two to teach you, huh?! love!