Blackbirds in Winter
A flock of blackbirds careens across the silver sky
and pours into the leafless white birches.
For the span of two heartbeats they are still;
then they explode like Chinese fireworks
into the sky.
The winter has seemed bleak and long
until this moment when the blackbirds fly.
It has been a time of strange juxtapositions:
My friend has sobbed in the arms of her oncologist.
In the garden, sunflower seeds have sprouted
in wet earth.
Hope and sorrow rise together.
Bravery and fear walk side by side.
A flock of blackbirds careens across the silver sky
and pours into the leafless white birches.
For the span of two heartbeats they are still;
then they explode like Chinese fireworks
into the sky.
The winter has seemed bleak and long
until this moment when the blackbirds fly.
It has been a time of strange juxtapositions:
My friend has sobbed in the arms of her oncologist.
In the garden, sunflower seeds have sprouted
in wet earth.
Hope and sorrow rise together.
Bravery and fear walk side by side.
Painting by Law Wai Hin
14 comments:
Very nice poem, and thanks for visiting my blog. Do you know that in the fables the brave one was not the animal who did not feel fear, but the one who was afraid and dared to face that
there is beauty in these opposites...
I hope your friend is OK. You wrote a lot about winter in a few short lines. Beautiful contrasts.
Courage though need not have fear to walk with it and fear can not abide the company of courage.
This one gave me such a visual picture. The blackbirds, the tears, the fear and hope. You have such a beautiful way of painting a picture with words!
Amazing how all these emotions can be together at one time or another. Great post. Love it. Thank you!
thanks for the smile today...those last few words...they do walk together...
For me,it's the crows, and their pervasiveness in Winter, harbingers!
I hope this is an old poem that you've brought out and not a fresh wound you're having to endure. Beautiful poem and wonderful painting to accompany the image of birds "explod[ing] like Chinese fireworks".
I love the last two lines and the imagery of the sunflower seeds.
Wow. I love this and I can see those blackbirds exploding like chinese fireworks.....Sarah
A lot said in a few lines. Great juxtaposition.
May you find peace in the garden and joy with your loved ones.
I hope your friend is ok too.
The blackbirds have stopped fleecing my seeds, I hope they've moved south for the season.jeNN
Chris, I'm sorry about your friend. This is a sad poem for me.
Wow!
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