Hummingbird
The gaggle of kids burst out the door
and flushed the hummingbird from the feeder smack into the glass.
I lifted the small bird from its awkward contortion on the concrete stoop
into the palm of my hand
and breathed again because it lived.
I smoothed the feathers.
The little bird straightened out
blinked its tiny eyes and struggled a bit to breath.
I dribbled some sugar water in my palm since I had read somewhere
that it is possible to starve again in flight.
And I waited there with it
this bird this poet this perfect work of art
whispering and humming because it made me feel fine.
Until suddenly, miraculously it burst from my palm!
Ohhh… look at that! sweetheart look at that! It’s fine its fine!
The kids gathered together close the little girl squealed
up there the bird the bird look!
settling in the cedar
fluttering its wings
and then off! into the Honey Suckle to feed.
Gorget
She will always be powerful.
Small girl with these runes
tattooed up and down her arms her legs.
Life’s flame humming
and dreaming.
And,
iridescent purple gorget feathers
flare out
around that being.
See here she hovers
over the mirror-shine of Cloud Lake’s gloaming
delicate composite of delight
despair.
While we all suspect she has departed
as the storm still traverses that ridge
see there I will always be powerful
small flyer beats back turbulence
dissipates our torment.
NAMING
If you work at a pace
in a garden
you will swing overhead like the flaming Sun slowly
you will stare down into the face of that Lotus Rose
yellow and pink
and know it to be called
“Flaming Peace”.
If you work at a pace in a garden
when the air is cool sweet and heavy with water
you will point at flowers pods and lacy fans and say
“Love in the Mist”.
When you work at a pace in your garden
you will look up suddenly upon a breeze and catch a hummingbird
with its slender bill in a pink speckled flute
and you will say “humming” of course
but you will also say “fox” – fox why?
later when you think more on it
the small head pushing into the flute
you will say again fox “Foxglove”.
And when you work at a pace like this
through your life
in your garden
you feel it
step gently
over horizons huge
in some seasons warm
and you are named.
© BrightPort Fine Arts & Literature 