Last night after weeks of waiting and listening I heard the familiar high pitched buzz that promised me Spring has finally arrived. Forget the calendar or the weatherman or even the green plants popping up through the wet earth, the hummingbird is the Hughes' official spring herald. I believe these busy little jewels know something the rest of us don't. They know when it's going to stay warm enough to build a nest and take up summer residence. Yes, we may have another snowstorm, but I believe the weekly blizzards are over. This morning I saw the green little gem perched on the hummingbird feeder I put out last night and I joyfully tripped off to the nursery.
A couple years ago when I was so sick I barely had energy to move I remember watching the flickers of hummingbirds wings in March and April. I also spent a great deal of time watching these winged friends with my daughter Rebecca, and it became a mutual obsession we share. They brought me hope then and they continue to bring me hope today. I wrote the following poem for her and I am currently working on a painting that will include some of the lines of this poem.
Hummingbird Watch
Frenzied, acrobats of flight,
we wait for you
in between the manic hours of days,
she and I.
Mysterious pygmy jewels of the sky
A daily ritual
in the storm of duties and meltdowns
there you shimmer.
We discuss species, colors, your last visit,
Our speedy mediators,
strange reflections of our frantic lives.
We steal hours
meant for washing, scrubbing, folding
to watch for you.
We discover friendship, beauty, communion.
I hope she remembers.
And just in case you want to feed the hummingbirds at your house you can make your own syrup with 1 part sugar to 4 parts warm water.
5 comments:
I love watching hummingbirds. Their really is something special about them.
I really want to get some humming bird feeders this year. My mom always has them flying around at her house all summer long and it is really so fascinating to watch them.
Great poem. Hope you post a picture of your painting when you are done.
Yay for spring and all the critters that let us know its finally here. Our harbringer of spring-the groundhog in the field has also emerged from hibernation and become very active lately. I'm sorry I haven't been on here in a long time. I've kind of fallen off the whole internet socialization thing(not that I was ever really that good at keeping up anyway) but I miss you and want to talk to ya soon.
I am so excited for Spring I can hardly stand it! I wish I had just a little bit of your many talents!
Oh, I should take you out to Wayne's aunts house sometime this year. She has mastered the art of attracting humming birds. At times there have been 50-60 birds in her front and back yard at one time.
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