poems | wordsfromanneli

April 22, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 41 Comments

Spring Ditties

It was a day of surprises. Yesterday, this plum tree had only tightly bunched up buds. Today the sun came out for a few minutes and the plum tree called out,

“Look at me! Look at me!

Every flower a plum will be!”

The next surprise lay at my feet as I stopped to admire the plum tree. It was just lucky I didn’t step on it.

Robin baby, where are you?

Found your shell that you picked through,

Lying by the blooming plum,

Just the size of someone’s thumb.

Morning, sparrow, golden crowned,

You don’t mind me being around,

Posing for me for so long,

Before bursting out in song.

Waxy petals calling out,

Any hummingbirds about?

We’re the colour that’s the best,

Not much sugar, that’s a test.

Try it putting out your two lips,

We are truly tasty tulips.

You rang?

August 22, 2020
by wordsfromanneli 49 Comments

Finicky Finch

This female house finch has just had a bath and is now looking for a snack on my brussels sprouts plants.

These tasty sprouts are still so small,

That’s not much food for me at all,

To peck them isn’t worth the work,

I’ll have to find some other perk.

So many pairs of pears I see,

Too many hanging in one tree,

Too big for tiny little finches,

I’d get fat and put on inches.

The sunflower seeds will soon be ripe

And then I’ll have no cause to gripe,

They are my favourite snacking food,

To nibble them improves my mood.

March 22, 2020
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

Narcissus

I did a post a while back about Daffy Dolls, the narcissus.

https://wordsfromanneli.com/2020/02/01/daffy-dolls/

At that time (Feb. 1), only the stems were peeking up above the ground. No hint of flower buds yet.

Now, most of the buds have opened and are looking hopefully towards a beautiful spring. The daffodil is associated with hope and for this reason has become the emblem for the Canadian Cancer Society.

A second batch of daffodils is growing in a shadier location, and they, too, will bloom very soon.

The Daffodil’s Story

I’m named after Narcissus

Who lived so long ago,

He was pursued by misses,

But always told them “No.”

Narcissus was a beauty,

He loved himself so much,

No one was worthy of him,

His motto, “Look, don’t touch.”

One day beside the water,

He gazed into the pond,

And there he saw an image

Of which he was quite fond.

He looked upon perfection,

Desired it then and there,

But couldn’t make connection,

And that he could not bear.

Reciprocating actions

From water to the boy,

Elusive was the image,

As if with him to toy.

It mirrored all his kisses,

Repeated smile and wink,

But touching brought on ripples

Each time he groped the drink.

At last in his frustration,

Narcissus, wanting more,

Fell in to try to catch him

And died there near the shore.

A nymph named Echo called him,

But he did not respond,

She only found a flower

A-floating on the pond.

March 28, 2019
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

Down at our local beach the other morning, these godwits were pecking in the soft shore mud. They look similar to sandpipers, but the speckled feathers and the slightly upward curve of the extra long bill say “godwit.”

The long bills are designed to probe the mud and sand for worms, molluscs, and all sorts of aquatic life.

There are several subspecies of godwits. I think these are marbled godwits. I’m not a bird expert, so if anyone can provide more info, I’m happy to hear it.

There is nothing religious about the name “godwit.” Supposedly, the bird was named for the sound it makes.

Did you know that godwits can sleep standing up?

They tuck their head behind the shoulder and stand on one leg and have a little nap. Sometimes I feel tired enough to sleep standing up. I understand resting my head, but standing on one leg? That’s asking for trouble.

There are many more kinds of shorebirds that look like these. It is a whole science in itself to learn to identify them. I heard one of the godwits talking: