The Dark-Eyed Junko’s Alert
He greets me for the morning game of follow the leader
don’t leave the door open, space will fill
light paints the world with shadow
our observations manipulate what we observe
captured in every reflective surface,
our shadows join the trees’
across the grass, the water, each other
Flowers steal focus, the little I have left
with shocking leopard-print spots dripping dew
and inviting fragrance on the slightest breeze
tickling my nose with soft petals and stamen
yellow dots of pollen cover
procreation fills the air
I chase the birds that chase each other
loudly displaying their worth
The geese pay me, my camera, and my feline companion no mind
The Dark-Eyed Junko’s alert: loud, short and sharp
is a song compared to Bewick’s Wren’s screams
like a fire alarm in a hotel
the huge call from its tiny, fluffy body amuses
Life punctuates the world with sound
the clear calls on one side of the house
like a volley, a game of table tennis, from the other
With everything blooming and growing new life,
the dead ivy on the side of the cedar
clings like a bad omen
upon closer look, mysteries abound in the mundane
That buoy is a clown nose on the lake
a fox head pounces in the movement of the water
What is that roll of hair in the fire-pit?
dissection only reveals more questions
rusted bolts and nails joined in concrete, resting on a rusting pail
(Why would anyone keep that?)
strangely phallic, yet looks like a human heart
Suds on the water surprise
gathering on only one side of the dock
pulsing against rocks, sharp edges and crevices
the bubbles do not pop
evidence of the folly of man’s
attempt to control nature
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly
murky and choppy, the light swerves and curls
like tracing an oil slick,
golden snakes on the slate surface whisper
another omen
the lake does not invite today
My companion becomes impatient, he wants to wander on
He has accrued his own follower
We now play follow the follower of the leader
or follow the leader who follows the leader
my reflection shows up in unexpected places
patterns in nature-repetitions with slight variance
insights lead me back to previous observations
because sometimes it’s fun not to be in focus
and certain illusions can’t be photographed
taking pictures through doorways only re-shapes the frame
a truly different perspective is needed for change
objects joined in space invoke history
a juxtaposition of the absurd: my meaning
We three wander again
each unique but not unique
exploring an order of chaos
creating our pattern of observing
thus changing natural patterns
seeing through to the dramatic
light behind the subject
which has become a subject through our looking
then looking through
illuminating its veins, stems, roots
we pause, observe it from above, below and every side,
capture its light
never the same
I shared this poem with dVerse Poet’s Pub’s Open Link Night.
Next Week
I really enjoyed Excavating the Mind and think the challenge of repeating the exercise will force the observations deeper. So starting tomorrow, I’ll begin a new set of observations, for five days this time with drafting on Saturday and another poem next Sunday.
I hope you will join me.
Experience Writing 
Oh I really love to follow you on the walk, the way you walk in your mind as you explore the birds make it really into a journey.
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Thank you.
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So many wonderful lines to choose from – and words – Juxtaposition is one my favorite words and actions – I use it often – I am a collage artist and collage (and poetry for that matter is all about juxtaposing disparate objects or ideas into meaningful alignment.
These are my favorites:
(This for the phallic/heart connection, and your question)
bolts and rusted bolts and nails joined in concrete, resting on a rusting pail
(Why would anyone keep that?)
strangely phallic, yet looks like a human heart
(This one for the sheer gorgeous-ness o the lines)
the light swerves and curls
like tracing an oil slick,
golden snakes on the slate surface whisper
another omen
the lake does not invite today
Beautiful poem!
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Thank you.
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I enjoyed all of the interactions with birds, the reflections and perspective you gave us with vivid imagery.
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The Dark-Eyed Junko is new to me and I’m glad to make his acquaintance, Marja. I so enjoyed the walk through your landscape this morning. I love the flowers that steal focus ‘with shocking leopard-print spots dripping dew / and inviting fragrance on the slightest breeze’, such rich imagery, and that you ’chase the birds that chase each other’ with your camera – and what a great photograph! I also like the way you’ve captured sound in the lines:
‘Life punctuates the world with sound
the clear calls on one side of the house
like a volley, a game of table tennis, from the other’
which remind me of the noisy chaffinches that visit our garden.
And I love the suds on the water, the stream of consciousness ‘I
don’t know why she swallowed the fly’ (a song I sometimes sing to myself too) and your reflection showing up in unexpected places.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Excavating the Mind turned out to be a great prompt for me. I’m really enjoying it. I’ll be posting a second poem based on new observations this Sunday. I hope you’ll come by to read it.
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I am so in awe. “Upon closer look, mysteries abound in the mundane”–just one of a myriad collection of observations within observations. As I, too, take a daily walk with my camera, I am going to dig further in your blog and find out how to participate!
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Thank you. Glad to have someone join me.
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What a marvelous journey we enjoyed with you, your camera, and your feline companion! Thank you for taking us along!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Nice line: “I chase the birds that chase each other” I have done that with birds I wanted to photograph from a different perspective.
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