I was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing my tea and my NaNoWriMo work for the day, when a small, tufted bird with a bright white belly and black body landed on the railing just outside my window. He chirped, and stared at me – he in fact seemed to be asking for something. But what?
I watched him consider me through the picture window for a while. He looked a bit like Elvis with that crown of soft feathers, and like a tender plush doll with that downy rounded breast.
“How do you keep your whites so white?” I asked it. To which it responded with a single chirp, then flew away so quickly he became a black blur in my eyes.
They say it is good luck if a bird poops on you, but bad luck if it gets into your house. But what of luck when it notices you? Regards you? Tries to communicate?
Might I be part bird, for when I am writing, I fly.
WC: 15,067
November 5, 2007 at 8:07 am |
Isn’t it wonderful when that happens? It’s like a blessing. I feel honored when animals notice me like that, although I’ve never been graced with a bird’s attention in any way. Lucky, special you. He sounds so cute. Me, always horses, and at the zoo, giraffes. Earthy.
November 5, 2007 at 10:11 am |
I have a poem with this line: I didn’t know then/ words would be my wings. (That was once when I was little and thought I could learn to fly. I, too, fly with words!)
Have a great day flying with NaNo–and you are flying!
November 5, 2007 at 10:49 am |
ps A swallow once pooped on me at Capistrano…and some other bird once at Olviera Street in LA.
(!)
November 5, 2007 at 12:35 pm |
In response to your recent blogging about cubicle-dissatisfaction, I thought I’d share this with you. Picture number 2 is my favorite.
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/multimedia/2007/11/gallery_saddest_cubicle?slide=2&slideView=8
It’s the saddest cubicle contest
November 5, 2007 at 7:50 pm |
Angie: giraffe? Interesting…I get the horses thing…
pepek – love your poem lines! Thanks for the nanocouragement. You must be lucky having been pooped on twice! I used to get shat on by pigeons all the time because once upon a time I lived in a crap place in the worst part of pigeon-infestation city. It didn’t really feel lucky.
D: if only I had known about the contest. I totally could have won.
November 6, 2007 at 6:33 am |
It’s great when they come to visit. I think his chirp was saying: WriMo WriMo WriMO!
November 8, 2007 at 7:54 am |
Oh I love that! I’ve had some wonderful moments with birds, recently mostly its squirrels who come up to me or regard me….
November 8, 2007 at 1:33 pm |
this is the most beautiful post i have read in a long, long time. now i am flying too!
November 9, 2007 at 5:04 am |
It means you have a kind heart and a lightness of spirit. Birds tune in to that. It is a real compliment!