The Song

I heard a whip-poor-will this morning
singing outside my window
and wanting to join the chorus
I stepped outside in the still dark
and found myself on a strong branch
felt the roughened bark
against bare feet
spreading powerful wings
I took to sky and joined
morning dance
we wheeled a pattern clear
then came together circling
round and round

in that exquisite moment
I knew I was exactly
what I was supposed to be
a sense of deep knowing
welling up inside needing
wanting to tell the world
opening my throat
to let the joy escape
but a whip-poor-will can only sing
the song she has been given

12 thoughts on “The Song”

  1. Jae Rose

    I had to look up ‘whip-poor-will’..it also sounds like a state of mind..I love the thought of dancing bare foot on tree branches..particularly in the rain…a special song that only you could pen..Jae 😉

  2. Old Egg

    It is a precious moment when we can imagine ourselves as one our fellow travellers in this beautiful word. I talk to the birds in the garden and they cock their heads at me as if to say “what manner of crow is this?”.

    This is truly beautiful piece Dee.

    1. Dee Post author

      thank you sir 🙂 The crows often fly around the back of the high school as I am entering the building in the morning – I’m sure it is because it is behind the cafeteria and they are looking for scraps. I have nearly tripped and fallen for watching them while I walk. They squawk at me as if to say I am clumsy so I must not be one of them 🙂

  3. Altonian

    What a beautiful fantasy. I too talk to the birds and animals that come to my garden. The may not understand my words, but they certainly know and appreciate who it is keeps their larder filled.

    1. Dee Post author

      I am having a battle over some spinach I planted in a box on my back porch – the birds and squirrels seem to think it IS their larder! Perhaps they think it is the price for being inspiration for poetry lol!

  6. Isabel Bush

    great story. I have imagined myself as an eagle and a horse- my two favorite animals- on occasion. good to see someone else imagining themselves as another bird. you wrote abt it so well.

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