The town water hole has always been the meeting place. Jay the Steller’s jay and Goldie the golden crowned sparrow meet there for a quick conversation.
“Oh, yuck! Who messed in the drinking water?”
“Was it you?”
“Are you talking to me?”
Wish he’d just hurry up and get his drink and leave. Nobody else gets a turn with him around.
Goldie wants a little sip,
Just enough to wet her lip.
Jay enjoys to dominate,
Making her procrastinate.
Jay is bigger and he’s mean,
Something Goldie’s never been.
She will put up with his swagger,
Though her look is like a dagger.
She will stand her ground below,
Quick to flee if she must go.
Jay the bully squawks a lot,
Manners are what he has not.
October 19, 2021 at 10:13 pm
I love this birdie exchange and your poem is adorable!
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October 19, 2021 at 10:16 pm
Thanks a lot, Lynette. I love seeing the birds around these last few weeks before the really harsh weather comes. After that, I will miss seeing them. Goldie, for sure will fly south. Probably Jay will too.
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October 19, 2021 at 10:15 pm
Wonderful poem, these two should not be married.
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October 19, 2021 at 10:17 pm
I don’t know how anyone could live with Jay. Even Estelle (Mrs. Jay) complains about him.
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October 20, 2021 at 2:03 am
Sweet!
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October 20, 2021 at 10:55 am
Thanks, Jill. I love my birds.
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October 20, 2021 at 6:55 am
So cute! Love the photos. I used to have bird feeders, but the raccoons ruined it for everyone!
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October 20, 2021 at 10:54 am
I still find my bird feeders knocked down every now and then, and I know we have the raccoons passing through here. It’s frustrating, isn’t it?!
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October 20, 2021 at 2:12 pm
Sure is!
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October 20, 2021 at 7:40 am
A metaphor for life, Anneli.
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October 20, 2021 at 10:46 am
Hmm…. Which part? Do you mean that someone is always pooping in someone else’s drinking water? Or the bully part?
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October 20, 2021 at 12:21 pm
This one: “Gentle Goldie waits him out,
Has no need to screech and shout.
Jay gets bored and leaves the scene,”
What better way to handle a bully–don’t stoop to their level but don’t capitulate. Show your strength and watch them buckle (or leave). No need to ‘screech and shout’.
Good lesson.
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October 20, 2021 at 12:23 pm
I agree completely. Thanks, Jacqui.
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October 20, 2021 at 12:38 pm
It’s so hard to teach kids how to handle bullies. This–stand your ground but no need to scream; wait him out–a good solution for some!
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October 20, 2021 at 12:46 pm
I bet we all wish we could have our time back for some of those bullying instances. I know I do. I remember giving a boy a shove when he was teasing me mercilessly at recess. He was bigger than me, but I was provoked. He slipped and slid into a grassy ditch on the school grounds. We were in grade one and I couldn’t speak English very well yet. At lunchtime everyone was dismissed except me, and the teacher said I could go when I had told Bobby I was sorry. I wasn’t stupid. I wanted my lunch, so I lied to Bobby and said I was sorry, but the injustice of it is still in my head today.
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October 20, 2021 at 1:08 pm
Yep. I don’t think capitulation is the answer because kids are left with that sort of powerless feeling. “Stand your ground”–I like that. Most bullies are also cowards. If you don’t give in, they give up.
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October 20, 2021 at 2:11 pm
That’s so true. I’ve hated bullies ever since I was little, and I’ve found that they just keep at it if you let them.
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October 20, 2021 at 8:03 am
Dear Anneli,
GREAT! Pictures and text.
Keep well and happy
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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October 20, 2021 at 10:44 am
Thank you, KB. Have a great rest of the week.
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October 20, 2021 at 11:00 am
I love your little rhyme and the pictures – poor little Goldie had to wait till the bully left.
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October 20, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Thanks, Ursula. Sometimes life is like that, isn’t it?
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October 20, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Two birds we don’t see here. The jay’s colouring is striking.
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October 20, 2021 at 8:14 pm
I’d trade you a jay for a cardinal just for a visit and some photos. I’d love to see a cardinal. Also, we don’t have the eastern bluejay here, but I’ve seen them in Montana. I have NEVER seen a cardinal.
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October 21, 2021 at 5:06 am
I checked, they’ve been seen in Southern Alberta but rarely any further west 😏
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October 21, 2021 at 10:28 am
Interesting. If I ever get to southern Alberta, I’ll keep my eyes open for them.
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October 20, 2021 at 7:57 pm
Touching story! Anneli, your photos combined with some delightful dialogue brings an ordinary bird bath to life.
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October 20, 2021 at 8:12 pm
Thank you. I’m a bit embarrassed that the bird bath is so messy but it’s cold enough that we’ve turned off our outside water taps, and I’ve let nature take care of the water in the bird bath. Let the birds sort it out. Thanks for your visit.
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October 20, 2021 at 8:30 pm
Nature will do just fine! Thanks for sharing.
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October 20, 2021 at 8:49 pm
Love this.. beautiful words and image.
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October 20, 2021 at 10:59 pm
Thanks so much, Anita.
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October 21, 2021 at 4:22 am
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a dozen times (or even more!). THESE POEMS MUST BE SET IN A BOOK! For children and adults to read. With your photos, if possible! I really love them, Anneli. When I was a child, I knew no difference between a Jay and a cardinal or a woodpecker or even a hawk! Finally, now that I live in and around woods, I’ve familiarized myself with the wonder of birds, their personalities and quirks. You “show” these so perfectly in your poems. I’ll buy several copies – for myself and friends!!
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October 21, 2021 at 10:30 am
LOL! I’m slowly getting my poems saved, but I don’t know about a book. I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks for your vote of confidence, Pam.
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October 23, 2021 at 7:12 am
Jays are very bossy.
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October 23, 2021 at 8:52 am
And they know they can get away with it.
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October 23, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Yes, they do!
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October 23, 2021 at 4:14 pm
Lovely photos and poetic story! We don’t get Jays down here … thank goodness by the sounds of it! 😆
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October 23, 2021 at 7:03 pm
Those jays – sometimes I think all they have going for them is the pretty colour of their feathers.
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