Feathers flash — then thump.
Is the chickadee stunned; or
something more final?
In the morning, still she lies;
Night hunters left her intact.
Frank J. Tassone is today’s host of dVerse‘ Meet the Bar. Frank says:
Let us write our own Jisei. Write a haikai (haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka, Gogyohka) or haikai-esque poem that reflects on imminent death—and the significance of life in light of it. If you are going for the haikai-esque, keep the lines brief (no more than 10) and use the aesthetics of haikai (simplicity, heartfulness, and pathos). If you feel daring, you can attempt the gembun—a one-sentence haibun, but otherwise, keep away from long forms.
image link here
Such a sad photo and heartbreaking words to match: I know it’s nature but it just seems sad for such a beautiful fragile creature to die needlessly.
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Yes it is on all counts. I wish it was an isolated incident here, but the birds hit the windows fairly often. Sometimes they are just stunned and sometimes they aren’t.
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☹️
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So solemn and indeed heartbreaking. ❤
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Thank you, Lucy.
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Such a sweet little bird… and so sad. It’s easier to mourn a little bird than anything else.
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This video looks like a great idea!
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Thanks Jen! My computer wouldn’t play the youtube — it’s been uncooperative lately — but I did read the transcript and will try it!
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I hope it works 🙂
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I can watch it on your page.
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It’s my computer not my blog that is messed up.
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oic Good luck with your computer.🙂
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Lovely poignant piece – particularly the last line – reverential for the fall of this one small bird – and we’re all heading for a window somewhere I guess.
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Lovely comment, thanks for seeing. Yes, I guess we are…
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It’s sad to see their limp little bodies and the feathers fluttering. One kind of death, a quick one, but we always feel bad as if we’re responsible.
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Yes it is, Jane. Sometimes I’m surprised to see they are only stunned and in time flying off. I hear you on the guilt part.
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We’ve only ever had one death. Our windows are too dirty 🙂
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The image is stunning, and your words are perfection. We humans can shed a tear at the demise of a tiny bird, yet too many turn a blind eye on the pandemic.
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A very touching comment, Glenn. Yes 😦 I got into another “discussion” with my mom yesterday when she said covid #s are being faked to make it look worse than it is. When she mentioned it was bad in nursing homes, I said the prisons also. She then said, “well if they are in prison they did something to get there.” I said, “Mom, what about the prison staff?” and went on to explain my older son’s girlfriend has 3 family members who work at a prison (her mom is nurse there.) She had nothing to say. I pray we get a vaccine and get it globally distributed soon. I also pray that 2021 is a turning point for us and our planet.
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Still is still still, regardless of newdawn, eh? Jisei-wonderful.
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Thank you much, Ron.
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A poignant witness to the fragility of life. Beautifully evoked, Lisa!
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Thank you very much, Frank.
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The death of something so frail is always sad. Well written and Lisa!
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Rob, thank you, yes it is.
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sobering, in full flight and then no more … well captured!
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Thank you, Kate.
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I cringe when that happens and it happened only yesterday late afternoon but I waited and a wobbly bird made it to the fence 🙂
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🙂 I love it when that happens.
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yes I am always most grateful but the loudness of the thud still shocks me …
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In the morning, still she lies
Poignant.
I hope the fix suggested above keeps more chickadees in the air.
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For sure, D.
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Aww, too sad.
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😦
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They see so impervious (except as prey, of course) in their flight. And then this. It seems we are just as stunned when it happens.
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Yes, exactly, Ken.
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This is so interesting… just yesterday we had an goldfinch hit the sliding door and lay splayed on the deck. We thought it broke a wing. I lifted it up into the bird feeder and sunshine. It sat there for a time and then eventually flew away! Great poem.
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Dwight, so happy the goldfinch survived. I’ve seen several that survived and it’s always a joyful moment. Thanks.
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Yes, I am as well. The big thud comes when a dove hits the window!
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😦
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:>(
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We had a Barn Owl smash into one of our front windows. Knocked it out and we called the wildlife people…they finally got here…and right on cue it woke up and took off.
Very good but depressing poem Lisa.
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Oh my goodness can’t even imagine a bigger bird hitting the window. Glad they recovered and flew off. I’ve been thinking about death all week and then today’s prompt kept up the dying. Hoping next week is a little brighter.
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Well it’s easy to think of that at this time…and this year.
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A poignant pairing of words and image, Lisa. I’ve seen this happen before, especially at my study window.
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Thanks, Kim.
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Heartbreaking and yet a clear and somber reflection of how tenuous life is. (K)
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Thank you, K.
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That sent chills up my spine.
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This was viscerally shocking. Death and birds are an unnatural mix and the brutality of it makes it so much more grievous. Powerful words, Lisa.
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Dora, thank you. It is a shock to the system to hear them hit the window 😦
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Oh, this breaks my heart when it happens. Sometimes, they do survive. I have a hawk that frequently hunt my bird feeders for easy prey and when the birds scatter…Not long ago I heard a thud and it was a Gila Woodpecker. The hawk swooped in and snatched it.
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😦
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Oh what a sad sight! I’ve seen this too and it’s heartbreaking. You have captured in sadness in your tanka Lisa. 😢
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Yes it is sad, thank you, Christine.
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So sad! I hope the bird was OK.
There are so many killed flying into glass buildings in cities.
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your words and that photo pierce through the heart!!!
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😦 it is very sad
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