Last week, poet Julie Fogliano visited Michelle Heidenrich Barnes at Today’s Little Ditty and left readers with this challenge:
“…just stare out the window and write what you see.”
Some months, I ponder these challenges all month. But I’d been watching this robin for a few weeks, so this month I knew immediately what to write about.
Bedecked in fresh leaves,
delicate and lithe,
an old apple tree,
its limbs loaded
with fat pink blossoms
ready to burst open,
stands outside my window.
Concealed within
this veil of green,
a robin sits on her nest,
still as a statue,
guarding her eggs
from the jays and crows
who screech and caw
in the branches above her,
right outside my window.
© Catherine Flynn, 2018
Please be sure to visit Jama Rattigan at Jama’s Alphabet Soup for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Oh, bless that robin, and bless you for writing about her, Catherine! Love the rhythm of your poem. I get so attached to the creatures who share the yard. We had a baby cardinal a week or so ago with both parents frantically trying to usher it along the ground around dusk. I hope that baby made it safely through the night!
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My robins are back and I love watching them, though I don’t know where the nest sits. What a lovely poem about your robin, sitting so still in her guarding.
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How lucky you are to have a personal view of that robin’s nest! What a treat! I love the way you structured your poem, moving from tree, to nest, to you. Beautiful! I get so much pleasure from looking out my windows and watching the bird activity, that I often don’t get my work done. Recently I’ve been entertaining a few turkeys!
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This is perfect for me today. I have a robin’s nest right outside my window, too. You’ve captured it beautifully.
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What a lovely poem — those images are so vivid. Just saw a robin the other day and heard a lot of crows. Spring’s finally here!
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I knew this would be a perfect challenge for you, Catherine! When I read Julie’s prompt, one of the first poems that came to mind was your persona poem from Laura’s Shovan’s challenge. 🙂 Even without your photograph, your words paint such a lovely view—those fat pink blossoms, prime for bursting, and that statuesque mother robin. Thanks for sharing your private moment with the rest of us.
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While I’ve still got your poem on my mind, don’t forget to add it to the padlet, okay?
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Thanks for the reminder. It’s been a hectic weekend! Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day, Michelle!
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Such a beautiful poem to portray a lovely view.
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Right outside your window you have a ready-made prompt to inspire you to write, Catherine. I do so like what you wrote, especially stanza 1 that is rich in detail and visual appeal. The photo enriches the poem. Would you consider offering the combination for my spring gallery? I would be delighted if you are interested in sending it to me.
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I missed that challenge, Catherine, but will still take it up later. My ornithologists are obsessed with robins, robins everywhere! Poor robin. Keep those eggs safe! I love you poem, friend. Cheers!
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Thanks for sharing the challenge, Catherine. I missed it. It is now in my notes for another day. I love watching robins and it doesn’t get any better than having a nestin an apple tree “right outside my window.”
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Beautiful imagery and word choice, Catherine. I especially liked the assonance of leaves/lithe/tree…joyful to speak!
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Beautiful capturing of this event Catherine, I like the concealment in your poem and in the photo of her too, she’s watching ever so carefully.
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Oh, that mother robin. I hope she’s successful in keeping her babies safe. This week on a walk, I saw a bird defending her nest against a hawk. It was thrilling and sad at the same time because that hawk did land next to the nest. I love your eye for science and especially, birds that are right outside your window.
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Lucky you to have this view…this DRAMA…right outside your window! You captured it perfectly in your poem!
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I find such joy on watching birds from my window. You captured the sanctity of this watching in your poem.
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Happy nesting little robin and cheers to old apple trees!
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