January 29th
The juncos stand precariously on snow
They can’t feel the ground beneath them
Their black bodies hop like clipped silhouettes
as if they floated to the top from the underworld
How long will I live in a house of rooms
fretting that that power will go out?
Counting the days between my sister’s death
and her birthday’s fast approach?
I imagine I’ll light a candle
and study the loom of shadows
I could pull up the blankets over my head
and pretend my bed is a closed casket
In the morning I’ll drop sunflower seeds
to mark a trail in the snow
for the orphans who didn’t fly south
and for the ones who want to come home
I’ll follow yesterday’s footprints
until I’m stopped in my tracks
until I’m lost in blank verse
and make peace with the past
Until I come full circle
watching ghosts
from snowed-in windows
Until I can bravely
invite them inside
_________Colleen Redman / Storm of 2016 / Poets United / Real Toads
January 29th, 2016 11:57 am
Superb – the mix of these elements gives me the feeling of hopelessness, and yet you still feed those birds hoping they’ll be safe. Wonderful.
January 29th, 2016 1:06 pm
You are sad and I hope that a bit of sun will bring up your spirits. We must take time to remember those we love and feeding birds is certainly restorative.
January 30th, 2016 9:17 am
Hang in there, sister. Bed’s good; bit not too much of it now, you hear me? Keep feeding the birds. You’re their “it”.
January 30th, 2016 9:23 am
Thank you, friends. I’t all part of the grieving, which is an expression of love, and feeling these feelings is the way through them for me. I’m thankful for having the creative outlet of poetry. It can be like therapy.
January 31st, 2016 1:01 pm
There is much reflection and sadness here….but a bit of brightness as you come full circle to stand again in this place. The Juncos are called ‘snowbirds’ as they come with the snow. They will keep you company for now….hopefully bringing you some solace.
January 31st, 2016 1:19 pm
Beautiful.
January 31st, 2016 1:36 pm
I agree with Donna, this gives me a sense of sadness and longing. Beautifully penned.
Lots of love,
Sanaa
January 31st, 2016 2:14 pm
To care for those hungry birds might be the best way to cope with the upcoming sadness of the anniversary… go spread the sunflower seeds, light a candle too… sounds like the best way to cope with loss.
January 31st, 2016 3:27 pm
This is perfect – the mix of life and death, sorrow and the Keeping On with life………the memory of your sister, the candle, the feeding of the birds….this is the stuff of life. So well expressed. I am so sorry you lost your sister………..and so glad that you can express this loss through your poems. Beautifully done.
January 31st, 2016 6:53 pm
A very nice full circle, where the birds become poems! Birds and landscape are foreign to me, but you let me in to the emotional territory beautifully.
February 1st, 2016 9:54 am
The courage and beauty in this poem radiates..a dignified and beautiful write
February 2nd, 2016 2:53 pm
Their black bodies hop like clipped silhouettes
as if they floated to the top from the underworld…
I love this image, and the whole piece has such beautiful detail. A lovely poem.
February 2nd, 2016 4:40 pm
This is an awesome poem.
“Their black bodies hop like clipped silhouettes
as if they floated to the top from the underworld … How long will I live in a house of rooms” — How cool is this section? SO cool.
The arrival of a deceased, or lost, loved-one’s birthday (especially the first) IS so much more painful than all the other days of the year.
February 2nd, 2016 8:30 pm
Such a strong and poignant poem…am very sorry for your loss.
December 30th, 2016 10:46 am
[…] January – The juncos stand precariously on snow. They can’t feel the ground beneath them. Their black bodies hop like clipped silhouettes, as if they floated to the top from the underworld. How long will I live in a house of rooms while fretting that that power will go out and counting the days between my sister’s death and her birthday’s fast approach? […]