A Bald Eagle Broods
The last time I was there
There was snow on the ground.
Ground into my talons, meat....
Meet near the snag growing in rock--
Rock in our nest then rise up,
Up from the curve of stone and stick.
Stick plucked feathers there as a mark--
Mark the warm spot where once an egg.
Egg shells scatter with flash of wing!
Wing where great birds soar and dive--
Dive for prey and thrive on power.
Power flight with flesh and sun--
Sun glosses feathers sifting dry air.
Air beckons higher, farther sight--
Sight from above the snag near the rock.
Rock to one side and bid me farewell.
MLydiaM ~ February 2011
This poem is my ticket for a ride on The Poetry Bus. Driving the bus this week is the author of 120socks, who gave three prompts from which to select.
I chose #2 - The last time I was there...........
(The Poetry Bus is the brainchild of TotalFeckinEejit, bless 'im!)
Image of bald eagle via public-domain-image.com
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31 comments:
Powerful poem Lydia, and thanks for coming on board.
There was a hawk
right over my head
wings spread wide
and circling up,
getting smaller
and smaller,
as though riding
the thread
of an invisible screw
that pinned the clouds
to heaven.
He disappeared
a minute later,
or maybe
it was an hour,
or maybe
it was forever.
Gritty, powerful, uplifting. Perfect for an eagle. Well done!
Cheers!
Julie
Julie Magers Soulen Photography
Very well done! Loved your words and loved your picture :)
The repetition of the last word in the next line has a tremendous aural effect in my head,I found it mesmeric and powerful and different. I really liked this!
Must try and copy it!
120socks~ I appreciate your comment and most of all your exhilarating prompt!
mythopolis~ Wow. Love your poem. It really touched my heart.
Julie~ Your compliments mean a lot to me this day. :)
Looking to the Stars~ Thanks so much. I found another image that I so wanted to use but it was strictly copyrighted, so I was pleased to find this beauty right there in the public domain.
Totalfeckineejit~ Mesmeric?! Wow! Thank you, and I know you will create something wonderful if you try this. As there is nothing new under the sun I sure won't take credit for inventing it, but it did just slip into my mind, then the poem...
lydia, your title alone is worth the price of admission, 'a bald eagle broods'
conjuring up that image took me somewhere i have never been.
love to you today, lydia,
kj
kj~ Love to you today, too, and thank you so much for your sweet comment.
Lydia, re groovy dancing girl check my reply to your comment for more info! : )
This is very cool- form and meaning. Love
image of scattering shells under wings.
Thanks!
mythopolis~ Shall do!
izzy~ Why, thanks to you for your cool comment!
Wow! This is amazing ... love the way you used end/beginning words. Soar Eagle ... soar!
Very cleverly done with the repeating words that suggest flight. You're very good.
Powerful and inspiring poem. The picture is gorgeous too. Hugs
I don't think I've ever come across that form before. Obviously your word choice needs to be precise with double meanings etc to stop the repetition grating and you've succeeded admirably.
I'm going off to try and write a Lydia now.
Helen~ Thank you so much for your appreciation. What a kind comment!
susan~ Your comment means a lot to me because you are such a creative person.
Phivos~ Oh, thank you dear friend. I wish I could see a bald eagle in that kind of setting. They are so beautiful and strong.
Peter Goulding~ I am just really giddy by your comment. Thank you for calling it "a Lydia" (although I am sure someone has done this sometime, somewhere). What a thrill for me, though.
Egg shells scatter with flash of wing!
Wing where great birds soar and dive--
this is such a powerful image, it will stay with me for a while...
Hi Lydia, I just visited the link to your post on Steens Mountain and Charles Erskine Scott Wood! I'm blown away by the words and your images! I am going to get The Poet in the Desert which will surely be a great companion next time I go camping in the Mojave or hopefully, make it to Death Valley. Thank you for the link. I thoroughly savored each word and image.
Wow! Really liked that, great movement in the poem and that drive of images. And the sounds!
Roxana~ Ah, then that would be much like what your images do for me. They stay with me....plus, I return to view them again.
Stickup Artist~ Oh, that is great that you will have a copy of the book to take to the Mojave with you! I had a bookseller search for an original printing of A Poet in the Desert (decades ago, before the internet) and she found one. I took that little treasure to Steens and the Alvord with me on five different trips (it is there with me in the photo in my blog header). Later, my husband bought me the book titled Wood Works-The Life and Writings of Charles Erskine Scott Wood, and it contains A Poet in the Desert. As my original was so expensive I would take the newer edition to the desert next time I am lucky enough to go. CES Wood is one of my (few) heroes.
Titus~ This is my first visit from you, I believe. So happy to have you here and to receive such awesome comments from you. :)
Roxana~ Ah, then that would be much like what your images do for me. They stay with me....plus, I return to view them again.
Stickup Artist~ Oh, that is great that you will have a copy of the book to take to the Mojave with you! I had a bookseller search for an original printing of A Poet in the Desert (decades ago, before the internet) and she found one. I took that little treasure to Steens and the Alvord with me on five different trips (it is there with me in the photo in my blog header). Later, my husband bought me the book titled Wood Works-The Life and Writings of Charles Erskine Scott Wood, and it contains A Poet in the Desert. As my original was so expensive I would take the newer edition to the desert next time I am lucky enough to go. CES Wood is one of my (few) heroes.
Titus~ This is my first visit from you, I believe. So happy to have you here and to receive such awesome comments from you. :)
Glorious response to the prompt.
That is exactly how I would think an eagle would brood if we could hear it. Like others have mentioned, I like the form a lot too!
Great verbal images!
Thanks Lydia for telling me about Wood Works. Looks like I'll get more bang for the buck with not only the desert poem but lots of other writing as well.
Your eagle photo is amazing! I love the way you wrote the poem from the viewpoint of an eagle.
Dave King~ Thanks much. I visited your blog after receiving your comment and you know from my comments how touched I was by yours.
The Bug~ I think it is possible that all creatures brood in some fashion. Emotion sure isn't just a human thing! The photo I found at public-domain.com looked like a brooding eagle to me. :)
MacGregors~ Many thanks. :)
Stickup Artist~ Yes, you will as it is his total work. I like thinking that you will also have the book.
Please note that I did not take the photo of the bald eagle. I credited public-domain.com at the end but in small font, which I just changed to normal font so there would be no confusion. I was darned impressed that someone out there took this great shot and actually released it to the public domain...a gift to us all.
Worthwhile poem, but I don't think the restrictions you have placed on yourself by the repeated words helps the finished piece.
Lucy Westenra~ I am glad you found it worthwhile. Your observation about restrictions interests me. Since this poem flowed quickly in about ten minutes and the words came easily I won't agree with you in this particular case. I thought afterwards, however, how I might have responded if this idea were given as a prompt from someone else and I definitely felt that sense of restriction you spoke of.
What a wonderful feeling of flight! Rocks to one side - a perfect ending full of freedom and air. An eagle would agree that you have captured - or should I say soared his essence.
A bird with a brain! :)
MuseSwings~ Thank you for your appreciation of the poem. I like to think you have spoken for at least one eagle. :)
Trellissimo~ Indeed! As opposed to a bird brain!
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