Carolina Wood Duck Poem by Denis Martindale

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When I first saw this coloured bird,
The heart in me felt quickly stirred,
To paint its beauty there and then,
Parading it before all men.
Observing beauty on its own,
This man's respect for life has grown,
To share that with more eyes than mine,
Became thought as a gift divine.

Its tiny chest had snowflakes shown,
As if from yonder skies had flown,
And underneath and on its sides,
More markings streamed and served as guides.
For these are how birds recognise
Their very own before their eyes,
And celebrate each noble breed,
And even help it to succeed.

Man, too, has learnt to understand,
Beyond the shaking of a hand,
Beyond the colour of the hair,
Beyond what others could compare.
True love still proves the centrepiece,
Because our eyes serve us as keys,
With insights foremost in control,
Our eyes are windows to the soul.


Denis Martindale. July 2021.


The poem is about the UK wildlife artist,
Stephen Gayford, who painted hundreds
of magnificent paintings, with many still
being sold on the eBay UK website today.