Fulmars Charm

By skinner_jennifer

Sun, 03 May 2020
  • 1475 reads
8 comments
 

This is a poem I wrote last year under the name of featheredwing.

I wanted to share it here on abc tales.

 

Up high on ridge

This curious character

Studied on a breeze with

Unhurried distant eyes,

 

Transcending remoteness,

That faraway charismatic gaze

Turns to coastline camaraderie;

Clinging to salty ambiance,

 

Till with outstretched wings

Charged by waves of air she soars,

Lured by ocean...both enticing and brutal;

Maybe albatross knows fulmar's thoughts,

 

This bird does not cry out at savagery of waves,

Her cackle resembles...cacophony of fishermen wives

Enjoying tickle of day's catch before retiring;

As on cliff edge plumage lies down to rest,

 

She hangs in there with time to spare,

Waiting patiently for that one hatchling

Established with a kiss...then! Frenzy of feathers

As he with pride declares complete fulfillment.

 

For now blustery winds reveal their passions...

Waves crash with intensity rushing in then ebbing away,

While those downy feathers keep spirit warm...then!

Out to sea she'll rise again with outstretched wings,

 

Her miracle of life needs nourishing, so she

Follows those ships and reckless fishing trawlers,

Where rhythm of shanties help men gather

Oceans gifts in nets so strong.

 

Fulmar's flight is scrutinized as dense those

Determined wings pulsate then skim,

Soaring low for she's no high flying bird...but

Both aesthetic and robust, not to be trifled with.

 

Pixabay free picture.

Certificate U
Poem
Poems
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

This makes me think how nice to be a bird right now Jennifer. I love how her voice resembles the cackle of fishermen's wives and I can picture her soaring low above those savage waves. If I could do anything  I would go down to the coast for a day. Thanks for sharing your poem.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thanks Jane,

this is a bird who very rarely settles apart from when she's roosting or caring for her young. The rest of the time she's out there flying across the sea searching for food.

I know what you mean about being by the ocean, it's a nice thought. Glad I could bring a bit of the sea to you in this piece of writing.

Thank you for stopping by.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I've not really distinguished these from gulls before. After reading, I looked up a small videao on the RSPB site. So thanks for drawing attention to them, and their powerful flying is wonderful to see. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

I'm so glad I could introduce you to this sea bird, that was exactly my intention. Yes I agree their powerful flying is wonderful and to think they spend most of their time in the air is amazing.

Thank you so much for letting me know.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

What a rich poem!67777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 (message from Tina)

"coastline camaraderie" this is a great contrast with the solitariness you evoke at the beginning, and a lovely way to describe a seabird colony with al the noise and bustle

433333333333333333333333e3wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (another message from Tina!)

"with outstretched wings

Charged by waves of air she soars," I love this, brilliant sense of power and excitement

"enticing and brutal;" again a wonderful contrast, like with the bird herself

"he with pride declares complete fulfillment." And THIS  reminds me of when we saw a seagull who had hatched on our roof, taking his first flight, while his Mum watched from the rooftop, calling encouragement.

Like Rhiannon, do not know much about fulmars, but enjoyed this so much, a wonderful, lively, involving study

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thank you so much Di for your detailed comment. It's always a pleasure to recieve. I have a book on all the different birds to be found along our coastlines here in England and Scotland, Fulmar happened to catch my eye, which is how this poem came about.

That must be fascinating to follow the progress of a gull learning how to take off and encouraged by mum, it's a side of nature we very rarely get to see, apart from on nature programmes.

Thank Tina for her thoughts too. wink Giver her a big smooth from me. smiley

I'm so happy you found this poem interesting.Di and thanks again for letting me know.. Hope your garden birds are still giving you pleasure.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Enjoyed this very much Jenny. Love the savagery of the waves and you have done justice to all seabirds here too, something fragile and brutal about them, and definitely most are not to be trifled with. I think you have nicely summed up how misunderstood they can be. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rachel,

I was looking at one of the videos on youtube about these birds and listening to their cackle again, which leaves me smiling and amused at their banter.

So glad you found my descriptions to be fitting and thank you so much for letting me know.

Jenny.