Thursday, April 24, 2014

"Impermanence"

These newborn baby birds fell with their nest to the ground



Impermanence

The heavens open
and little angels fall
delicate and pure -
wings so fragile,
skin so thin,
sparse tufts of fuzz
halo their head.

I'm not sure I can save them,
perhaps these first hours
will be their last;
no warble ever to sound,
no wing ever to soar.

One minute, secure,
the next, free-falling
and I feel the utter helplessness
of  "All the king's men"
as I try piecing
this shattered nest
together again.

by Margaret Bednar, April 24, 2014

UPDATE 4-25-2014  I checked on them this morning and they did not make it.  The mother never found them.  They are all huddled together in the nest.  I am grateful they had that.   It really instilled in me the absolute miracle of life, though.  I've never been so close to newborn birds - everything is precious, every life, human or animal, is a gift.  



The nest fell from my outdoor umbrella as I opened it for the first time this spring.  I ended up putting the nest on a shoebox lid and strapping the whole thing to the inner branches of the evergreen you see behind the adirondak chairs.  The mother flew all around the umbrella looking for her babies - near broke my heart.  I decided to go inside as I didn't want to scare her anymore.  I will check tomorrow and see if she found them…



For the month of April, I am participating in NaPoWriMo2014 or National Poetry Writing Month.  The website is HERE.

In celebration of this year's challenge, I will be giving away a free book of my poetry.  If you are interested in participating in this drawing, please click the red logo at the top of my side bar and leave your name and a means to reach (blog, email, etc) you in the comment section.



PLEASE INDICATE YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWING OR I WILL ASSUME YOU ARE JUST COMMENTING.  THANKS. 

11 comments:

Jenny said...

Oh, how sad. I pray she finds her babies. xo Jenny

Kathryn Dyche said...

Last year we had a pair of Carolina wrens nest in the folds of a broken umbrella that was propped up in a corner on our deck.

I got quite the fright when I went to move it but thankfully the nest stayed put and I was able to leave it alone while they used it. Hope the mother finds her babies and that all is well. :)

George said...

Things like this happen, Margaret. Don't feel so bad. Your fine poems redeems the situation.

Ginnie Hart said...

Please, please tell us there's a good end to this story, Margaret. It's enough to break your heart!

Lisa Gordon said...

Oh, this is so sad, Margaret, and really, you did all that you could.
I do hope that she finds her babies.

Brian Miller said...

awww...i am glad you were there to help...so cute...when the world caves in it is good to have those around willing to help put things back together again...

Jennifer Wagner said...

Aww! You did what you could. Sad when things like this happen, and you're right, the preciousness and fragility of life are made so evident when they do.

Justine said...

beautiful poem, such a sad story

Scarlet said...

How sad but what a tragic ending ~ Once we had a baby falling down too but we rescued it and the mother found him or her ~ Thanks for the videos, you have such a good heart ~

Janet Martin said...

wiping 'mother-tears':) bless you for doing all you could do...God sees the little sparrow fall.And He saw you helping His creatures too.

Love your poem too So many fallen angels in this world!

Anonymous said...

dang... guess it's good no dog or cat was nearby. nature has its ways ~