The tiny bird breaking shell
makes a cry for food and air
with furious faith in what she needs.
Hearing her across the water
from deep within the forest,
I enter dark to find her,
hands empty, feet afraid
of stirring branch and netted moss.
My only gift poetic dreams
that sound upon life’s trembling web,
to feed her hunger and clothe her naked body
in the silken plumage I imagine
with ravishing love.
Your words are very visual.
I’ve been watching the chickadees from our front window, harvesting the seeds from our sunflower patch. They seem to have a great trust that life will take care of their needs, as they sing a song of happiness wherever they go. Thanks for your beautiful words!
Reminds me of Jesus’ awareness of “the birds of the air who neither sow nor reap yet are care for by the Father in Heaven.” Your image,Don, of their trust that they will be cared for inspiring them to believe their efforts will work, inspires the survivor in me. Thank you.
I’m loving the deep metaphor at work in this poem. I love the rhythm of it. The word “ravish” implies “rape,” which isn’t what you are after.
“to feed her hunger and clothe her naked body
in the silken plumage I imagine
with ravishing love.”
So…are you imaging feeding her, clothing her, or ravishing her? It’s a tiny bird, right? I’m just wondering if your metaphor is getting out of visual proportion here at the end?
But I repeat, the overall visual of the poet entering the dark woods of consciousness in search of his “voice,” or “muse” as a “tiny bird” is quite original and wonderful!
Hi Sandy,
There are several meanings of “ravish” as you know, and the meaning “implied” is the one lead to by the poem itself. I would say that the meaning “to rape” is not implied in the poem although I think that is for the reader to decide. My “meaning” is the third dictionary option, “to transport with joy or delight.” If you seek “ravishing” as an adjective there is only one set of meanings “causing great joy or delight; entrancing,” that works for what I intended in the poem.
I love our correspondence and appreciate so much the delving deeper your comments inspire.
Always, Don
I love your imagery… thanks, Don.
Blessings,
Snowy
I can accept that definition of “to ravish.” The image of the “tiny bird” in the deep forest has lingered with me today, reminding me of what Janet Burroway says, “Writing as an art begins when we surrender ourselves to the world of images,” as you have done so gracefully here.