Thursday, June 21, 2012

The White Bird, a poem by Mike Marcellino







St. Augustine Beach, Florida 

The White Bird
By Mike Marcellino

Take time with the natural. 
Slow down. 
Don’t miss the beauty,
the small wonders.






Watch and
follow the white bird
on the shore
standing on spindle legs,
like crooked tar twigs.
She paces the wet sand
in a state of consecrated grace,
too lightweight
to leave prints.
 
Fearless, she hops tiny waves,
fluttering her wings,
in no particular hurry.
On occasion 
peck, peck, peck
into sand and shallow surf,
spearing what she captures
inside her
long
razor black beak.
Something unseen–
gulp, gulp, gulp,
digesting sea creatures,
sometimes hidden
in clumps of seaweed.

Recall.  Civilizations,
nations
but
dribble castles: 
Here now,
back in the sea,
tomorrow. 

The white bird
knows not to fall
for what man made.
Not tripping,
she takes notes,
in passing:
an upside down
rubber
flip flop;
plastic of every detail
imagined -
caps, toys and containers;
a single leather soul;
thrown up paper -
a manufactured jelly fish,
of the faintest blue
performing a tide pool ballet
on the beach. 

“And,
“Pray you,” chirps the white bird silently.
“Don’t mix the gods up with your very nature.” 

In her tracks she left behind two shells
worn ocean smooth,
one white, the other black.


The White Bird by Mike Marcellino, copyright 2012


On the beach.  

Photos by Mike Marcellino Copyright 2012

7 comments:

  1. Great poem. It's alway important to stop and smell the roses. Your message really comes across well.

    -The Anon Blogger

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  2. love this Mike! lots to learn from the white bird..... thanks for sharing.....

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  3. Great work...truly inspiring! being a beginner, I'm looking forward to your posts. There's definitely a great deal to learn from you :)

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  4. thank you Rajeshwari!

    just remember when it comes to writing, no one is a beginner or a master, we all just write the best we can from what we learn about writing and life

    - mike

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