Bird Sanctuary

I am always surprised 

when I come upon

the bird sanctuary,

for it seems to rise

from the trail

– out of the blue –

as, all at once,

the sounds of the city 

are replaced in a birdsong,

of twitters and chirps 

and occasional quacks.

And so, I try not to disturb,

their little haven, 

and wend lightly

along the meandering path, 

as all cares fall away.

From time to time,

as I float, on my invisible wings 

in mystic spirit breezes

I chance, momentarily,

to hear the sound of children 

whispering to the birds.

That is the most tender, gentle sound . . .

I think . . . that I have ever heard.

note:  the prompt for Poetry Jam this week is “The Unexpected”.

photo:  The Bird Sanctuary at Burnaby Lake:  Canada Goose and Goslings – W. Bourke 

© 2014 Wendy Bourke

Wonder in the Hours

HEAD DOODLING BACK

There is  nothing

that can make

one's heart sing

more  tenderly  than

the wonder in the hours

spent nurturing a garden

where a child watches

his  planted  seeds,

slowly – turn  to  flowers.

photo:  Nathan's Sunflower - H. Bourke

© 2013 Wendy Bourke

like a freshwater lake in the desert

it was so hot:
  
all attempts to wring

some lightness-of-heart

out of the lifeless, still day 

had mostly been abandoned –

as if, the hours were stuck,

by the blasting heat, 

to the middle of an asphalt road.

I had taken a break,

from after-lunch camping chores, 

to sit down on the edge of our

wooden picnic table bench

and – kicking off my flip-flops

and wiggling my toes –

I was soon joined,  

in that diversion,

by a little boy

of about two or three,

hotly pursued

by a red faced older fellow:

the child’s grandfather,

as it turned out – 
the lad:  “a runner”, he explained.

the boy laughed,

as we continued 

wiggling our toes together.

grandpa laughed,

and I laughed, too.

“little ones” – he chuckled, 

with the acuity of an ancient sage:

“are like a freshwater lake . . . in the desert”.

notes:  The prompt this week for Poetry Jam is “Impossible Place”.

Pictured is Osoyoos Lake.  Osoyoos, British Columbia is located in the only desert in Canada with the lowest rainfall, the highest temperatures, and the warmest fresh water lake in the country.  The town is located on the lakeshore of Osoyoos Lake – as is the town of Oroville, Washington, on the US side.  Captured in these photographs of Osoyoos Lake are the desert hills of the region.  The bottom photograph shows a vineyard and the orchard trees prevalent in the area, pinned between the Lake and the desert.
 
photos:  Osoyoos Lake, British Columbia – M.T. Bourke

© 2014 Wendy Bourke

Stay

HEAD DOODLING BACK

I had pricked my finger
and a drop of blood fell
onto the steps, where I sat.

It was late in the day,
and so I decided
to abandon my needlework
altogether

and bundled it back into the basket
where it would wait for stitches.

He had been working -
for some time -
tidying up dead branches
on the backyard trees

and came, to sit down -
on the step below me.

He placed his head
upon my knees, and joked:
I'm looking for a soft place to land.

My hand brushed his cheek and -
inadvertently - left
a red smudge across it.

I moved, to fetch something
to wash the stain away.

He stilled me, gently.
Then, shut his eyes and whispered . . .

Stay.

photos:  Stay - W. Bourke

© 2013 Wendy Bourke