The first morning song wakes me
before my alarm clock
this winter
tells me, beautifully
and without question
that cardinal knows something
March refuses to admit,
weaving his nest on barely-budded branches
with last year’s field grass,
his wings bleeding through snow squalls
to do it
leading me to question
whether longer days
bring birdsong back, or if
it is his reckless cheer, cheer, cheer
no matter what
that coaxes sun to stay longer
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Oh, how I long to see a cardinal … they don’t visit us and they are sooooooo beautiful ~ lovely poem Susan ~ spring is coming 🙂
Polly, thank you! I have a nesting pair in a huge mock orange right outside my office window. Will try to get a picture of them with their babies this spring. Yes, Mr. Red told me spring is coming–LOUDLY and happily, this morning at 5:30. I don’t mind being woken up this way.
I like it. Has a nice twist to it.>KB
Thanks, KB. Has some wordiness to it I need to weed out, but I think HE thinks he’s bringing Spring back–that defiant nest-building through the snow squalls yesterday had me shaking my head and smiling.
Beautiful. And it must be his cheer dragging the sun out of hibernation.
Shrinks, thanks, and I agree–something about that song wakes everything up.
That must be a welcome song!
Oh, it is!
I miss the red birds of my childhood. Thanks for giving them to me this morning.
Thanks, Alice! This pair is bringing me hope.
And more red birds.;-)
That too. Can’t wait until the babies are making noise–then the singing turns to cacophony–which reminds me, I still have not done my HH yet for today!
Har… if cardinals summon the summer sun, I shall make for them the very best cardinal roost on the continent.
Cool! I think they DO think that–the way they are so earnestly making noise. Pretty voices for pretty birds.
“that cardinal knows something
March refuses to admit,”
oh how much i miss visiting you! wish i had more time…
love the last line, Susan – wonderful.
Miss you too, Miriam. Glad you had time to share your writing with us today. Sometimes life just tugs at us, doesn’t it?
oh it really does… take care, Susan – hope to be able to stop by again, soon!