For the chick on the hillside

By -
Contour feathers were growing over
the stardust down of the chick, 
tiny on the hillside copying the hen, 
digging.
Woken to the world, it was exact same pale gold 
as its mother's tail, the tips of her wings.
They moved together; 
but one was assured and sharp, 
the other a sweet disciple. 
From this distance,
nothing seemed more precious 
than that palm-sized soul,
delicate of the earth,
imitating to live.

I whispered over and over:
protection 
for this one. 
And maybe, being a passing stranger,
my prayer was small.
But maybe it could grow strong wings too,
long and waterproof,
over my tufted feather-words. 


LJ Ireton, 2024


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This morning I saw seagulls

By GlitterVegan -
This morning I saw seagulls, Far from the sea Circling the moon I can not tell the type of day I'm walking in to -  The Sun, on the other side, said it loved me But I have a stone in my shoe On the way to the station Change can be mysterious, it can be Frustration. I am far from the sea Circling the night - The only certain answer To a day of Question.  LJ Ireton 2023
Read more

Under the Sun

By -
My favourite thing to do When I sit Under the Sun, Is close my eyes, Warm my face and Remember each place I have done this before. Because even across the water, Or with scenery so changed, Sitting  Under the Sun, Is the one thing That feels the same.  C. LJ Ireton 2020
Read more

Fierce in the sky

By -
My spirit was swung low like a string hammock so I lay with it,  sunken under the hottest star to meld or fuse what it could.  I opened my eyes  to the sure, steady mind of a Red Kite, cutting through  finger-smudged clouds and all uncertainty - an ever-winning coin.  Under the relentless energy of the Sun And the set red bend of bone and feather, one strand pulled taut, alert again. I thought of poetry; the beautiful things forever flying fierce: star stripes, bronze birds, truth - all these strong lines  in the sky  are under my blood; my tired self is still singing.  LJ Ireton, 2024
Read more