Here and Gone
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Last month, I was visiting a school, and as a group of students left the library, a boy walked by me, looked into my eyes, and said, "Cardinals are angels." Later, I copied his words into my notebook.
Notebook Snip
Photo by Amy LV
When choosing a topic for today's poem, I flipped through my pages searching for a subject that felt worthy. The words of this young boy who spoke me to briefly and in passing beckoned from my notebook. I just knew. And I was thankful that I had copied his words down. Had I not, even though this was but a month ago...I would have forgotten this brief interaction.
Two thoughts for you about writing today. One - write in your notebook even when you do not feel like it. You will end up with some strange odds and ends and useless things, sure. But you'll also end up with surprising bits and snatches that may bewitch you on another day. Two - Take note of rhymes you like. Those of you who know me may be giggling at the birds/words rhyme here. I just love that word pair and have ushered it into many small poems.
And for those of you who love cardinals, this was just in yesterday's Alabama news. A yellow cardinal! I added this clip to today's post later...what a coincidence!
Video from AL.com
In the sidebar, you will notice that I have added my Instagram feed. Please know that this is another safe space where I share photos of my writing process, book news, and pictures of life around The Poem Farm.
Liz is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Elizabeth Steinglass with a thoughtful "Why I'm Here" poem, and an accompanying invitation that writers young and old might wish to try. I am going to do so this week! Each week, we gather our posts together at one blog, so if you visit Liz this week...you will be introduced to many new poets and blogs and books.
Please share a comment below if you wish.
Very touching, Amy. I love the conceit of cardinals as angels, and how you bring that around at the end. The poem reminds me of a bird poem I wrote several years ago, which was published in an online journal. If you're interested, you can find it here: https://mattforrest.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/poetry-friday-francis-and-the-saint/ Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteOur resident cardinals at school visit us often. There is an almost haunting quality about their presence, I've always felt. They hide in the thicket behind the feeder keeping watch. I often catch my students talking to them. I confess I do, too, especially if I am in the room alone. :-)
ReplyDeleteWow. What a line. And what a line to keep. I love the poem it turned into.
ReplyDeleteThat's so lovely. I remember shortly after my father died I was in an airplane with my young son and he said granddad's out there. How magical to think that way. It was such a comfort to me.
ReplyDeleteI love thinking about all that red as angels. So much joy!
ReplyDeleteYellow cardinals, wow! I love cardinals, and we do not have them here in Colorado. I love seeing them when I return to Missouri and visit family. I love your poem, Amy, am glad you did write that special comment down.
ReplyDeleteYour poem comes at a time when a teacher friend of mine passed away so the words of the poem are comforting. It is amazing how one small snippet in a notebook can turn into a beautiful poem, Amy. I just thought of the peace bird that I now have in my home thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely statement--I'm so glad you jotted it down and returned to it for your poem. I'll be looking at cardinals a bit differently now. I've always enjoyed their feeder visits, but this adds another layer. (By the way, I read about that yellow cardinal, too. Isn't it amazing!)
ReplyDeleteWow! What a poem. It sends me back into a very specific memory and I want to share the poem with the person who is in the memory with me. That's what really great poems do. Oh, and they allow for tears to flow. thanks for that too. I just feel the need to write, love you, in closing.
ReplyDeleteI've heard this before and used it in my book Blessen. I love your advice to write in your notebook even if you don't feel like it. I've been trying to write everyday, but this last week I haven't felt like it. That's when I probably need it most.
ReplyDeleteI love to watch the cardinals in the trees and at my bird feeders here on the ridge. It would be fun to see a yellow one someday! I agree with the little boy who inspired your poem. Cardinals are truly angels watching over us. Sometimes they will fly up on my porch and sit at the table by me! Thank you for sharing your poem and for encouraging us to write down the little snatches of talk in our notebooks.
ReplyDeleteHurray for notes scribbled in a notebook and turned into a poem!
ReplyDeleteIf cardinals, then also sparrows, woodpeckers, pigeons--requiring a rethink of those every day birds! This also explains the wings. We could write books and books of poems using the words of the birds and their child assistants...
ReplyDeleteThere is something about the burst of color (and I never knew of yellow cardinals!) that cardinals bring in winter that does seem angelic. Right now I am drawn to the bird song that is erupting throughout the woods and yard as the weather warms. It's an angelic chorus, for sure.
ReplyDelete