My neighbors used to be far away in the woods.
I liked it that way. So did they.
Like Robert Frost wrote in "Mending Wall",
"Good fences make good neighbors."
He was privacy-loving, like me;
But, now, my neighbors are so much closer…
I am adjusting… I can take it, for now.
A couple of months ago,
I could have prevented certain ones from moving in;
I saw the two of them looking over the area,
Checking out the possibilities,
And returning again and again…
Even after I would open the slider
And suddenly appear on the balcony,
Trying to discourage them from settling here.
Chipping Sparrows are not Song Sparrows;
And a Sparrow just isn't as gorgeous as a Goldfinch;
And I wasn't sure about having noisy neighbors,
With no sense of rhythm and no pretty melody;
But they seemed so enthused to find a cozy alcove
On the underside of the floor above,
Out of the wind and rain;
High enough that no snake could sneak up
To raid the nest of eggs or fledges;
Safe enough the crows and hawks would stay away.
I saw them flying back and forth, tirelessly,
With pieces of dried grass and straw,
For to build the nest that they would share.
I began leaving them clumps of my clothes dryer lint,
And imagined their eggs lying in it, cushioned.
When I came back from a long trip,
They were just as busy, but seemed to me joyful.
Now, they fly back to the nest with foraged food,
And I hear the welcoming chirps of hungry nestlings.
I'm glad to see the new life forming;
Glad to have new feathered friends as neighbors.
I may throw a little nest-warming party on the balcony…
Some fruit, raw sunflower seeds, sesame seeds…
(They can bring their own insects) …
Almond milk for them, beer for me.
Summer 2016
What beautiful neighbours and so wonderful to be woken by these. I do think you will be unlucky with your beer. Thank You
Ok, Ok... I'll drink the almond milk with them, no beer. Along with some Mama Chia's drink. Thanks, Lyn.
Chipping Sparrows are not Song Sparrows; And a Sparrow just isn't as gorgeous as a Goldfinch; - beautiful poem- the nature is the essence of beauty.
Thank you, Marieta... like Thoreau said, In Wildness is the preservation of the world.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Nice write. Very good feeling to it