The Birds were Singing

Gold cherry

By catherine poarch

Thu, 26 Oct 2023
  • 1793 reads
10 comments
 

The birds were singing at five to three.

Everyone slept,

except me and the birds

and the fox, on the flat roof,

standing like shadows next door.

He’d seen it before, how the stars had stopped shining

and over the chimney tops,

night, mud as mustard gas, clouded the sky.

The fox, very slowly, blinked with one eye.

Then he stepped, very carefully, down from the roof, to the wall, to the fence, to the alley below.

And oh, what a world full of places for foxes who know!

The birds kept on singing.

The fox kept on walking.

Stillness fell softly, in blankets, in silence, on me.

And sleep came like forests, first one, then another,

then tree after tree after tree…

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Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

I really like..

And oh, what a world full of places for foxes who know!

They are everywhere but they keep themselves to themselves. They know things that we don't know and they go places we don't go. Gorgeous creatures and clever. It's a pity we can't be like that.

In the spring and early summer, birds sing in the night where I live too. They are nightingales. Their singing keeps me awake... a beautiful nuisance. They only stop singing when they have found a mate so then there are two reasons to be happy.

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

 A lovely picture. Are the street-lights on  to cause so much bird-singing? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

".. night, mud as mustard gas, clouded the sky.."

There's a wonderful rhythm to this and, of course, a good deal of skill. A delightful poem. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Some gorgeous images in this poem Catherine. I particularly liked:-

And oh, what a world full of places for foxes who know!

The birds kept on singing.

The fox kept on walking.

Stillness fell softly, in blankets, in silence, on me.

and sleep came like forests, first one then another,

then tree after tree after tree...

You illuminate the early morning that nature has to offer in a way I understand completely.

Very much enjoyed.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by catherine poarch on

Thanks very much for the cherries and for the lovely comments, much appreciated from all of you. I didn't know that about nightingales singing until they found a mate. It's very unusual to hear that much birdsong here to be honest, some early morning but not that time of night. So it stuck in my mind. The fox turned up on another evening, standing on the roof like that. I loved it, it was so quietly king of the hill.  Thank you.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I am so pleased you've found time to write another piece - and what a wonderful piece it is! Thank you Catherine - hope you have time for more before half term ends!

 

Submitted by celticman on

tree after tree, you're free, your're free. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

This beautiful new poem from the hugely gifted Catherine Poarch is Pick of the Day! Please do share if you can

the image is from here :
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foxes_and_Cherries_by_Lucy_Casso... change if you want to

 

Submitted by catherine poarch on

Thank you! I almost buried it because I wasn't sure. So thanks for a nice surprise and also for the extra comments. It's so nice to have a bit of time to be on here again and, as always, it's so friendly! Nice to hear from you all. smiley

 

Submitted by catherine poarch on

Oh, just seen the photo! Smashing!  Thank you. yes