Friday, August 17, 2018

To the baby blue jay skeleton....


Blue Jay Nest
Photo by Amy LV




Students - My husband Mark was watching some blue jays nesting in our barn earlier this summer, and when the babies fledged and the nest was abandoned, he took it down and looked inside. There was one baby who did not live long at all, perhaps just long enough to hatch.

Baby Blue Jay Skeleton
Photo by Amy LV

Not every creature is given a long life, and in today's poem, I simply wanted to speak to that little one, about all of the things I am sorry it never got to experience. The blueness of blue jays is a special blue indeed, and their might in flight is beautiful to witness. Today's poem created a pause in my day, an acknowledgement of a very short, very tiny life.

Bits of life strike us humans. And poetry is a way to hold a feeling or a question in our hands, to look at it and to take our time. I am glad to have stopped my day to think a bit about this small bird and am grateful for the time to honor its life with a few words.

You will notice that today's poem is simply a list, each line beginning with "You never..."  I did not want to talk about my feeling (sadness) but instead, hoped that this simple repetition would make it clear.

And yes, this poem does have a long title.  I am not sure why. I just like it that way...

Christie is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Wondering and Wandering with a celebration of birds and her love for birds.  Each week we gather together, sharing poems, books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  All are always welcome to visit, comment, and post.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

13 comments:

  1. Sad but fascinating, too. Thanks for this facing-up to life's harder topics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "[P]oetry is a way to hold a feeling or a question in our hands, to look at it and to take our time." Yes, it is. And what a beautiful way to express that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The title should be long...in recognition and respect for a very short life.
    Precious!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love how your instructions to students become instructions to us. Hold a question and take time with it. The repetition is effective.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "You never matched the morning sky." I just read a new mid-grade/young YA book where the main character had lost his family & he spoke of all they would never do. Your line says all that is needed to show the sadness. And thanks for all the words, Amy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely bittersweet poem remembering a too short life. Nature helps us to slow down if we stop and appreciate her, thanks for reminding us to take a pause Amy! Gorgeous and textural photo too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The repetition captures the sadness so effectively. I also love these words: "And poetry is a way to hold a feeling or a question in our hands, to look at it and to take our time." I'm so glad you took your time to honor this jay and to share your poem with us. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amy, the beauty of this is in what the reader can process as they read. There are so many “never” we humans of all ages must work through. A lovely poem too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. O, woe - Nature & Survival of the Fittest.... I love this sad poem Amy.

    It makes me think of the flights of other blue jay baby siblings. And also, how that explanation of my parents about " the runt" when I was sad about a wee wild thing found dead in the wild fields & woods of New Jersey near Quakertown ( or a kitten stillborn from the litter) never seemed to do justice to the moment. I think it's wonderful your hubby took down the nest, to discover the story within.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your poem is so tender, Amy. We had a nest of wrens who were very busy and then suddenly they weren't. I hope their hatchlings didn't meet the same fate. I haven't had the courage to climb up and look. By the way, I think the title is perfect. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This poem illuminates one end of the spectrum of our feelings about birds,an important contrast to many of the other joyful celebrations of birdlife shared today. But what I really want to thank you for is your new song with Barry! Sharing widely this opportunity to put into words how hate is chased out by the pondering of another's experience.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh...your poem captures the sadness of a too short life perfectly. I'm glad you took time to reflect and feel and honor the moment and remind us to do so, too.

    ReplyDelete