A flash of white against the black outline gave him away as he circled with his buzzard friends.
Only a keen and watchful eye would find him among the crowd.
Swiftly he lifted and dove on the invisible current in the clear blue sky.
He lowered himself closer to the earth, keeping a watchful eye on the lake.
His talons skimmed the waters surface and he shuddered just a moment.
Then back to the sky he flew with dinner in his grasp.
Crisp air and blue skies
dotted with cotton clouds
Yellow and white flowers abound
Butterflies flutter among the buds
The birds sing their songs
High up in the swaying trees
A few moments in nature bring relief
Here I find a little peace.
What was full of life, drifting, lost to the sea,
Now lodges on white sandy shores.
Rocked by waves, bleached by sun,
hollowed by age and weather.
The heron perches,
watching the waters near,
a perfect place to spy
to find its next dinner.
The crabs and sealife make their home,
A breakwater to catch seashells forms.
A treasure trove of life can now be found.
Thud! A sickening sound echoed from the front of the house. The dining room window gave a shudder. A small body fell to the floor. My heart lurched in my chest and my mind sighed, Not another one.
Slowly I peeked out my head and there she lay – a small young cardinal. Her plumage still pale from her youth, although being female, she’d never see the bright red feathers. Her one wing stuck out and she stayed still, almost frozen.
Having learned from once before, I retrieved a small box and lifted her up then placed the box into the planter. She chirped a little and would be safer here than on the ground.
I kept an eye out as the afternoon moved forward. She quickly recovered. I spied a brightly colored friend darting in and out of the plumeria. I told myself he was checking on his friend.
Eventually, she fluttered her wings and floated out of the box. However, her wings still were weak from the bounce. She hopped around the planter and her friend came back to hang out with her.
He soared up to the oak and back a few times, encouraging her to join him. Finally, I spied him touch his beak to hers. Then the two took to flight.
I like to believe they are one of our nesting pairs we see around our home to this day. Their songs fill the air and make me smile.
Finding my happy place is never hard, but I just need time to get there, even if it is only in my mind. Anywhere in nature will do, the mountains, the beach, trails along a lake, a garden or some other beautiful place. Today I highlight one of my favorites, the beautiful white sand beaches on the West Coast of Florida.
The wooden bridge creaks under my sandaled feet.
Weathered and aged, I remember when it was new.
I step out of my sandals and onto the sand,
walking towards the turquoise waters.
Sea grasses and sea oats line the path of pure white,
as if it were a passageway to another world.
A gentle breeze lifts up dragonflies flying in the wind.
The air is salty on my lips, the sand is soft powder on my feet.
I dip my toes into the gently lapping waves.
It transports me to a place of calm; I finally start to breathe.
April 20, 2021~DRM~
Please visit my poetry page throughout the month for all of my poems for April: https://dawnreneewrites.com/?page_id=1378
#NationalPoetryMonth
Something short and sweet for the thirteenth. Enjoy!
Its prehistoric call fills the air,
as it flutters to the lane.
Its head covered in a red flare,
So stands the gorgeous Sandhill Crane.
April 13, 2021~DRM~
Please visit my poetry page throughout the month for all of my poems for April: https://dawnreneewrites.com/?page_id=1378
#NationalPoetryMonth
He slumbers all day, deep inside his tree.
As the sun sets, he opens his eyes to watch as people stroll by.
Most do not see him, and this makes him sad.
How can you just walk by without saying “Hi!” he wonders to himself.
But innocent children and creative minds will stop and smile.
When they do, he reveals himself in a most beautiful way.
A shudder of leaves and a joyful smile grows across his face, for he knows he is appreciated.
Dancing. Hopping. Posing on one leg. Her bill swishes through the water. Cotton Candy wings flip up in the air. The light shimmers through her feathers. She takes flight, a short little flutter across the marsh grasses followed by a graceful landing in a shallow. She poses a moment, looking around, making momentary eye contact with me. Back to swishing through the water, then a quick preening of her wings. Peace befalls us all.
Dawn Renee Writes 