C. Frank Starmer photo
Birds cross the sky in covens,
this golden autumn-of-my-life.
My eyes follow their flight,
my soul quickening to the sound
of their honking admonition:
follow the predestined route!
Find your way home!
The Voice of My Tribe croons a chant
that murmurs on the breeze.
I feel the winds of change blowing through
the drafty chambers of my
just-before-winter heart.
The Old Ones are telling me:
Time to open the door of the cage
and free the wild bird of your being,
the one you have been hushing
and placating with crumbs
for so long.
Free her with joy, and,
as her wide wings swoop and thrum
across the shimmering sky,
traveling between the worlds
in the space-where-there-is-no-space,
along the-way-where-there-is-no-way,
heed the call of those wild birds.
They are giving voice to
the longings of your soul.
Lift up that expectant, waiting life
with the urgency
of not-much-time,
and, if you're ever going to fly again
as, once, you flew,
do it soon,
do it completely.
Do it now.
A poem from 2014, when I was still in Port Alberni, longing to swoop up and over the mountains. By dint of refusing to relinquish that necessary dream, I finally managed it. Just in the nick of time, lol. Shared with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United, where there is always good reading on Sunday morning.
Every time I read this poem I find a different focus--this time it is the sounds--honking crooning murmuring thrumming--not shushing, but living fully now. This time I feel you talking to me. I'm listening.
ReplyDeleteI like this poem, Sherry. You did it, indeed. You listened to the voice of the Old Ones. You opened the door to your cage and moved on and are now in the place you were meant to be. Bravo. You are a good teacher, Sherry. We all must heed the call of the Old Ones in our midst!
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to do it...go ALL the way. That urgency of not-much-time is the same for everyone -no matter the age; the difference is that some of us notice it more than others.
ReplyDeleteA perfect write..and I say: FLY!
Your poem flies with the geese, Sherry, and I love their 'honking admonition'and the 'winds of change blowing through / the drafty chambers of my / just-before-winter heart', and I like the metaphor of opening the cage door to 'free the wild bird of your being'.
ReplyDeleten the space-where-there-is-no-space,
ReplyDeletealong the-way-where-there-is-no-way,... beautiful!
yes, to 'open the door of the cage', to do what we always wanted to do. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this!💖 Those beautiful birds sure know a thing or two and indeed give "voice to the longings of your soul."💖
ReplyDeleteThe wild geese honking is a lovely sound so full of stories and emotion. Who could not love living by the water and see the ebb and flow of life at your fingertips. Beautiful Sherry.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful! I fell in love immediately with the title, and it just got better and better. I feel I could jump into the air and fly.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Ones are eternally wise. If our inner wild finds freedom. Taking it now is best.
ReplyDeleteLove their voices.
This rings true on so many levels....and I love the metaphor of the birds...I feel them flying too as I unleash my inner truth and soar once again....beautiful Sherry!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the inspiration. Everyday I feel more and more as if time is running out.
ReplyDeleteBut still the caged bird sings...
ReplyDeleteit so made me think of Maya Angelou.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=caged+bird+maya+angelou+reading
DeleteThe closing words of this poem "do it soon...do it now" resonate with me as I wrestle with this decision: Do I retire at the end of this school year, or slog through one more year of what has become a living hell? I think your poem is pointing me in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteDon't know how you managed it... good for you. Gob smacked. Still can't believe you actually did it.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you unleashed your wings, it was time to fly. And by holding the dream, at last the Universe relented and granted your wish.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this piece, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteLive life to the fullest. Thats how i understand it. As we grow older in wisdom, our wings become stronger.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday Sherry. Thanks for dropping by my Sunday Standard today
Much😇love
Take the leap and fly. Do what you feel.Fly now and fly high. Very beautiful, Sherry !
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring.
ReplyDeleteZQ
Let go and let loose, Sherry. There’s no age restriction afterall in living life to the fullest. Particularly loved the first stanza :)
ReplyDeletethose sounds are a haunting call...I am sure they will be filling the air here soon...lovely write
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Sherry. <3
ReplyDeleteSherry, Your writings are powerful and the messages speak to and from the heart.
ReplyDeletetraveling between the worlds
in the space-where-there-is-no-space,
This is stunning ... so powerful ... so beautiful ... so spiritual ... My words, I feel, cannot adequately speak to - the heartbeat of the thing. It soars off the page, with life. It is extraordinary!!! I place it up there, on that (albeit very crowded) pinnacle, with your best work.
ReplyDeleteFantastic writing, Sherry!
It's wonderful that you didn't relinquish your dream. And that you wrote about your yearning so eloquently and beautifully. I remember this poem. It serves as inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteI like black birds flying in covens against the golden autumn of your life.
ReplyDeleteand free the wild bird of your being,
ReplyDeletethe one you have been hushing
and placating with crumbs for so long
Scored right on the head, Sherry. To dislodge and go forward!
Hank
I feel the winds of change blowing through
ReplyDeletethe drafty chambers of my
just-before-winter heart.
I feel them, too, Sherry.