Nestled in web of desert weed
Lives a dove in my back yard
Some say she symbolizes
Beginnings and endings
If so, she represents life
Its dawns and sunsets
Others say she symbolizes peace
But they're referring to white doves
Their purity measured by absence of hue
To me the beautiful grey doves
Have meanings too
Stillness
Patience
Love
Fearless mother
Each morning I reverently approach her
Watch her wait for her babies
To grow into this insecure world
While I simply accept her gift
I smile
Knowing she, her offspring, each moment
Will fly away
(Indeed, the mother and her babies did eventually fly away. Even the nest has been blown away by the wind.)
For Earthwheel and Poets and Storytellers United.
This is a wonderful pome, fresh and tender.
ReplyDeleteYour sketch and photos are so beautiful. Wonderful to watch doves in one's yard. At the farm, there are grey doves, and last year, some came to my balcony but so far they havent come this year. I love your poem. Yes, these doves and these moments will fly away like all the others. I wonder what awaits on the other side?
ReplyDeleteI view all birds as feathered enchantment.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that these beautiful doves were respected and celebrated by you. Glad (and totally unsurprised).
How tender and true. What a gift for these days. Who knew a silver lining could be so simple and grey. - Brendan
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a grey dove living in your backyard! You must have missed the mother and chicks when they left. Your poem is written, and the illustrations drawn and photographed, so delicately and lovingly, Myrna.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful nature poem! I am fascinated by birds. I often see mourning doves around here.
ReplyDeleteA lovely sketch.
So true. We have many grey doves, and their soft coos make you understand why they are known as Mourning Doves, as does this poem, thoughas you say, they are also a symbol of so much more than that.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Myrna. And I agree. The grey dove, with all its inbetweeness, speaks of balance and compromise.
ReplyDeleteA peaceful and tender poem and what a gorgeous drawing at the top. Did you make it
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing the baby doves. Beautiful poem!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words. I suspect nature will thrive this year.
ReplyDeleteThat is just a beautiful moment of mindfulness.
ReplyDeleteI love the grey doves too. And love these photos!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a gorgeous poem, Myrna!💝 I love that the grey doves represent "stillness, patience and love."
ReplyDeleteHope everything is fine at your end. Stay safe!🌷
And their song brings both the intertwined sadness and joy of which you speak.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! A tender poem of life and love.
ReplyDeleteLuv the wonder and magic those doves bring to your poetic slate. Luv your sketch
ReplyDeleteHappy you dropped by my sumie Sunday this week
much love...
There is so much to love about this piece. The sweetness of tone, the way the speaker feels the flow of the natural world...just good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI know the doves quite well. We had mostly doves but also some pigeons, hawks, owls and eagles in less quantity. We lived there, north of Houston, for 16 years before moving to the west side, 75 miles away to be near our younger daughter and family.
ReplyDeleteThere we have a dove couple with the mother laying and hatching baby bird chicks in a nest they have made in an inside corner under the eves of the two joined structures. She has been sitting on the eggs for over a week now. We are hoping the chicks can all grow up.
Too, we aren't sure if the same bird comes e every year or different generations
Our other common birds are mockingbirds and blackbirds. We have rabbits here and then cranes, egrets, turtles and a few alligators two blocks down where our green flood control area is. There are walking trails, several miles of them.
I've bored you, sorry. Thank you for leaving your nice comment.
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