Birds+in+The+Arts

**__Bird Poetry!__** __EXTREMELY good short story__: []

**__In Flight__** - Jennifer K. Sweeney The Himalayan legend says there are beautiful white birds  that live completely in flight. They are born in the air,

must learn to fly before falling  and die also in their flying. Maybe you have been born into such a life with the bottom dropping out.

**__A Bird__**-Sheila Wingfield Unexplained In the salt meadow Lay the dead bird. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The wind <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Was fluttering its wings

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**__The Bird__** - Sara Lau <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Once I longed to escape my cage <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A lonely place, alone I aged <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">People grabbed me pulled me alone <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As I sang my forsaken song <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But one day my opportunity came to me <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The gate was open, I could leave <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I jumped at my chance in a spur <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The other side had its lure <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As I flew out, graceful with glee <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I danced in the sky without any leave <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The sun and I twirled for a while <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Before it had to go with a sad smile

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In the dark I looked back for my home <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Then I realized I could not atone <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Outside, I was somehow free <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Yet somehow I no longer had glee <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">So as I looked back and longed for security <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I realized it was not all about liberty <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As I had abandoned myself and all that I had <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The life on the other side was equally sad <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">So as the wind and soil steal the last embers of my life, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Even on the greener grass, there is always strife

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**__Hope is a thing with feathers__** - Emily Dickinson <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hope is the thing with feathers <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That perches in the soul, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And sings the tune without the words, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And never stops at all,

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And sweetest in the gale is heard; <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> And sore must be the storm <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That could abash the little bird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That kept so many warm.

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**__Sing, Little Birdie!__** - Watie w. Swanzy <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sing, little birdie, sing <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">On topmost branches high! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And when thou spreadst thy airy wing, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Let not the sweet notes die,

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But longer, louder be, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Until the echoes ring <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That hide away where none may see, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But only hear them sing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Methinks that I could stay <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Forever with thee here, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And list thy strain the livelong day, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Forgetting sorrow's tear.

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**__A Minor Bird__** - Robert Frost <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">I have wished a bird would fly away, And not sing by my house all day; <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Have clapped my hands at him from the door When it seemed as if I could bear no more. <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The fault must partly have been in me. The bird was not to blame for his key. <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">And of course there must be something wrong In wanting to silence any song. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A baby bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sat on the wet ground— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Damp and /alone, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Feathers sodden. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She was sad, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">You see, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">For she had just been through <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A terrible ordeal. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A violent thunderstorm <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Ripped her from the warmth <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And comfort that was her home. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Thunder shook the world <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">While rain fell angrily from the sky. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Suffered a horrendous injury <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a result of her fall: <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She had a fractured wing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">So there she lay — <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Injured and /alone <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Upon the tortured earth. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Bullets of rain slowly faded <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Into a lingering haze. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She sang out for help— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">This little bluebird— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But none could hear <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Her strained melody. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Most suddenly, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A raven <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Alighted on the earth next to her! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He wrapped his wing around her and squawked: <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“Hello, Little One! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I see you have fallen from the warmth <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And comfort that was your home. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Have you a broken wing as well?” <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird simply <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Shook her head, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As this was all <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A little bluebird such as /she <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Could manage to do <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">While trembling so nervously. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“Don’t fear, Little One, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">For I will take you in <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And mend both your broken wing <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And spirit.” <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And so the raven helped the <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Little bluebird. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He set her wing, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Told her stories, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And brought her crickets <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Every day. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird wondered why <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A raven as dark and handsome as he <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Would want to spend his time <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Caring for her. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She quelled these thoughts, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And sang to him, however, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Because she was grateful <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">For his love. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Slowly, but surely <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She healed. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Her wing was strong— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And so was she. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">One day, the raven came home <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And told the little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That it was time for her to learn <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">To fly. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He taught her the method <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of the take-off, flight, and landing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The raven gently nudged <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">To the edge of a nearby branch. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“Go on, Little One, try it! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Just do as I’ve shown you <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And you will be fine.” <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But the little bluebird was scared, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“But Raven, the last time <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I fell and broke my wing! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I don’t want to fall again, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">It hurt!” <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“It is ok, Little One, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">You will not fall… <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As long as you do <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">What I have shown you. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And so the little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hopped to the edge of the branch, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Spread her wings— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Though one was slightly wonky— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And prepared herself <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">For what was to come. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Remembered hearing her parents tell <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Extravagant stories about flying; <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">//You can weave through the morning stars// <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">//And fly into the morning’s red eye!// <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Suddenly, the little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Felt another’s feathers against her own! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Without realizing it, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird was silently plummeting <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Toward the ground. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The world raced past her <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In shades of green and brown. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Frantically, she tried to right herself <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And do everything that the raven had taught her. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But she couldn’t! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird was tumbling <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Madly in the air, with no idea <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of what to do to stop. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And so she fell. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She hit the earth with a muted thud <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And looked up <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">To find the raven cackling and pointing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">“You silly, naïve bluebird! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">How could you honestly think <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That I could care about something like YOU?” <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He squawked while flying away. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">It was then that the little bluebird realized <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That everything the raven told her was a lie. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">How could she believe such conniving bird?! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She sat there— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Admiring the view from below the branches— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And pondered what she could do <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">To get herself out of this situation. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Well, I must learn to fly!//, she thought. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">First, she attempted <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">What the raven had told her. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She hopped and she hopped and she hopped, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">All to no avail. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Again she tried, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">This time using some of her own, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Instinctual ideas <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Along with those of the raven. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Alas! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird was off the ground! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">One wing flap later, though, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And she was back on the ground. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">But the little bluebird knew <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">That she just had to keep practicing <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And growing stronger <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And she could soon fly! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">All day she hopped and flew <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And came right back down, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Though the intervals of time <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Spent off the ground steadily increased. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Soon, she could make it to the bottom branches <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of a few nearby trees! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Feeling safer here, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The little bluebird hopped from branch to branch <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">And gradually could fly short distances! <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In short bursts, <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She flew away from the home <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of the wretched raven. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">A few weeks later— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">When the little bluebird <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Was a confident flyer— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She meandered back to the home <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of that wretched raven. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She circled his tree— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Singing her sugar melody— <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Until the raven came out. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He looked utterly appalled <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">At the sight <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of the little bluebird swooping merrily <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Through the air. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">He said nothing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">She said nothing. <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Instead, she just /flew.
 * __<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Bluebird __**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">(the words after the slash are separated for a reason... :) ) - Cheyenne Carbaugh

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">__(Thank you, Ruby!)__