Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Athena's Owl and the Learned Swallows


Wide-eyed on edge 
Of red-tiled roof, 
The studious looking owl 
May not make out much 
In the late morning light, 
But one thing seems clear: 
These nesting early birds strafing it 
Till it vanishes have done their homework well, 
And can now return to that brooding business 
They so instinctively and abruptly left behind— 
It’s as if they knew 
Wisdom rests not in taking in 
What rears its head before us, 
But what to make of what 
Nests in the empty space 
Once that knowledge takes wing 
And flies away. 




4 comments:

  1. Fantastic! The Parliament of Birds in miniature....

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  2. táne-mar, thanks for dropping by!

    As for you, Tom Clark, not much remains hidden from you, right?

    @Joseph, it’s too bad the current Greek parliament’s Lethe-bound and cannot remember what Athena symbolizes—not that all the previous ones were any better. Runs in the family.

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