from the confines of thought
move me into moments
of pure perception: titmouse
chickadee, nuthatch, wren, woodpecker
small feet grasping cold, metal cages
heads and necks stretching into holes
bills biting seed
wings carrying feathered bodies
back to the safe tent of branches.
On this icy morning
I fill feeders as ritual
remember the needs of other
fuel for fast hearts
and in return am given
such animated beauty:
brown and buff of wren
onyx eye of titmouse
black and white art of woodpecker
slate gray suit of junco
sleek sworded nuthatch
and the warm embrace of now.
Roxanne Bogart
Roxanne Bogart is a wildlife biologist, writer, and editor and work in bird conservation. She has a passion for writing poetry that explores the connection between humans and landscapes. Her time spent hiking, exploring and reflecting in nature provide the foundation for all of her literary work.