Small bird,
you are protected now.
But once outside the egg,
you will find the world
is very big.
But once outside the egg,
you will find the world
is very big.
Do not worry.
You need not hold up the sky
with your wings.
Your world is this branch,
these leaves, these blossoms.
Your flight path has been set for you
by the ancestors, and is written
in the stars.
You need not hold up the sky
with your wings.
Your world is this branch,
these leaves, these blossoms.
Your flight path has been set for you
by the ancestors, and is written
in the stars.
You will hear a lot of
terrifying noise.
There may be explosions, flames and floods.
There may be explosions, flames and floods.
Remember this song I sing to you.
Carry it in your heart,
along with my wishes for a world
safe enough
in which to
set you free.
Carry it in your heart,
along with my wishes for a world
safe enough
in which to
set you free.
The mother zebra finch sings to her chick in its egg. Scientists have observed that this song, sung only to the egg, prepares the chick for life outside the egg. The chicks are born smaller, thus better able to withstand warming temperatures. It amazes me that creatures are smart enough to begin adapting to climate change while humans remain stubbornly oblivious.
for my last Wordy Wild Woman prompt Friday at Real Toads: Staying Strong in a Time of Climate Crisis.
This is such sage advice:
ReplyDelete“You need not hold up the sky
with your wings.
Your world is this branch”
What a great mantra to recite when there seems too much to do, understand, impact, save. This is my circle; I can keep at least that clean, safe, and content.
This song of mother to chick in the egg is so touching. It breaks my heart to think of the way creatures are so under-valued in this materialistic society in which we are forced to live.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your song, too, Sherry. For your wisdom and guidance and beautiful spirit.
I love, love, love how you've taken this bit of nature and made it into a song of hope for us all. I think of the ways I've had to warn my children about the world and how proud I am in their flight so far.
ReplyDeleteSuch a magical prompt - I love how protected the chick is.. thank you for all your prompts they will be much missed
ReplyDeleteI used to keep zebra finches. They are energetic, wonderfully noisy little things. I loved them.
ReplyDeleteWell done & quite optimistic, Sherry! Salute.
ReplyDeleteA sweet song, which embodies all the best in nature and ourselves--to care for the helpless, to prepare the way and smooth it, to live in spite of "terrifying noises...flame and flood.."--lovely, Sherry, and thanks for everything, always.
ReplyDeleteHow beautifully tender!
ReplyDeleteI like this poem.
ReplyDeleteThis part: "Small bird,
you are protected now.
But once outside the egg,
you will find the world
is very big.
Do not worry.
You need not hold up the sky
with your wings."
is comforting.
Sweet little creature may have a hard time in its life. I like the mother consoling it before its birth, "Your flight path has been set for you by the ancestors, and is written in the stars." I have heard of this.
ReplyDelete..
Beautiful poem. I for one feel comforted by the fact that some animals and plants can adapt.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat must those small emerging chicks think of the world when they emerge from their shells? I love the reassurance in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘Do not worry.
You need not hold up the sky
with your wings’
and that their flight path has been set by the ancestors, and is written
in the stars.
I remember singing to my daughter in the womb, just like the mother zebra finch.
Sherry, this little love poem brought tears to my eyes. Oh man. *sniff*
ReplyDeleteYou have once again sang the song of the ballad of nature. Nature has a way of adapting but, human too often cannot. Sadly, humans are not good stewardship's of the earth. It is the greed of mankind that forgets this is the only planet we have and we are responsible for it's survival. I shiver at the thought of what the ancestor's must think. They left us so many signs to follow yet, we run amuck in shallowness.
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a beautiful poem.
Peace to you always.