an entry

[asakiyume]

from A Literal Guide to Metaphorical Sayings

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”

In the bush, two birds
voices like twin flutes
wings golden
marks on their breasts like crimson hearts
legendary
beautiful
out of reach.
In the hand, a bird
brown barred and white
trembling, warm
heart beating faster than a stopwatch
real
present
a miracle.

Comments

[desert-sparrow.livejournal.com]

Beautiful. I have a contact/friend on Flickr who studied Tree Swallows. The last lines musically expand the experience she described in holding these little birds.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I once held a catbird. To hold in your hands a wild thing that can fly really is, I think, a miracle.

... I guess if a person raises birds (I'm thinking of the man I spoke to who raises the homing doves), then the feel of their feathers and the warmness and the beat of their hearts ceases to be quite so amazing, but then again, those are tame birds. Whereas when you hold a wild one... And maybe even with the tame ones, it keeps on feeling like a miracle.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Birds really are miracles.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

amen

[faerie-writer.livejournal.com]

You know, I was going to mention it yesterday, but I hit the send button too quick, if there is anyone *meant* to write a book called A Literal Guide to Metaphorical Sayings it's *YOU*. ;)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Thanks :-)

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Ditto! Yes, ditto that!

I was going to write the same thing here.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I might see how far I get writing entries as poems.

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

^_^

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Don't they just make everything seem more wonderful?

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Wonderful.
Series?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking yeah, maybe.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

:)

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

beautiful

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

thank you for reading!

[sovay]

Prrrrt.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

:-)

[b-oki.livejournal.com]

lovely to read this today as i hear the little ones outside who have this magical gift to sing only in the way they do. some of them are flitting around in the air playing like its recess :)

a nice idea for a series of postings!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is a great time to see all the birds--it's getting warm, so they're *here*, but the trees haven't leafed out, so they aren't hidden yet.

[pjthompson]

Oh! Yes.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

:-)

[behindpyramids.livejournal.com]

I loved this. Loved this like eating warm tomatoes fresh from the garden, felt better and wholer for having read it. The poem is delicate and beautiful, and it's perfect perfect for the title of the book. I hope you continue. I'd be first in line at the store to buy the book.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a wonderful thing to read--thank you! I'll try to keep it up.

[scallywag195.livejournal.com]

The icon is great; goes with the poem. Love both.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Very glad--thanks :-)

You probably know this, but the icon is a snow bunting. They're not at all common around here, but one year I saw some, and in commemoration of that, I looked for a photo online to use as an icon.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

What a lovely thought, and lovely poem, to take with me into my dreams.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm glad--sweet dreams.
(by the time you read this, of course, it will be day again...)

[avalonestel.livejournal.com]

That is absolutely gorgeous.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

thank you--very glad you liked it

[deponti.livejournal.com]

oh....lovely...hope the bird in the hand didn't die of fright and shock...they do sometimes.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

The only time I've held a bird, it had been stunned, but it recovered.