They’ve just dropped
In from out
Of the heavens
For the duration
Of winter and are strung
Out murmuring along
The three telephone wires
Opposite the house
Like notes of a musical
Score—no, something more like
A long discrete succession
Of commas taking
Up every available space,
Leaving no room—period—
For words capable
Of fulfilling
That imminent,
Bewildering air.
Marvelous poem, soundwise, visually, contentwise, allwise! Wonderful images, first the musical notes and then the remarkable commas without words between them (so apt for starling shapes)! The title is semi-ironic: the poet certainly is not speechless (if one takes that to mean a person "reduced" to being silent), but, on the other hand, the poem is not a formal speech ("Ladies and Gentlemen, May I draw your attention to our feathered neighbors on yon wires...").
ReplyDeleteBRAVO!
Howdy, brother bird watcher and thanks for the detailed comment re the above poem. First off, I'm happy you liked it enough to give me some feedback; as with a lot of what I write, I had ambivalent feelings about it; not so much anymore, seeing you think it's not for the birds!!! Hahaha. BTW, do you know a Mary Oliver poem called "Starlings in Winter"? If not, here's a link to it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.best-poems.net/mary_oliver/starlings_in_winter.html