Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s weekly Tanka Challenge -#DoubleEtheree – The Visitor by Sally Cronin

Welcome to this week’s poetry in response to Colleen Chesebro Tuesday Poetry Challeng no 185 which is Poet’s Choice.

This week, despite the dreadful weather, I had a lovely encounter with a surprise visitor to the garden. A racing pigeon who had been blown off course by the high winds, especially at the altitude he would have been flying, over the previous three days.

I did not get close enough to get his ring number, but I did get in touch with the UK, Welsh and Irish racing pigeon societies. There had been a big race from Barcelona to the UK on 28th June and his attempts to fly away, always to the East and back to the coast, made me think he might be one of the 500 Welsh birds in the race.

He stayed with us for three days, and responded to my voice and whilst never coming up close enough to touch, he would call to me from the roof when I came out of the back door and fly down to eat his seed and drink water at my feet.

Finally on the third day he circled the house twice then headed off again… this time for good. Hopefully the rest and food reset his navigation system, and he is now safely tucked up in his home loft. I am sure his owner would be pleased to see him as these birds are much prized and loved.

As it is poet’s choice, I thought I would use some of the photographs and write a double etheree about the encounter… It is always a privilege when an animal offers their trust.

The Visitor

A
surprise
visitor,
a ringed pigeon
weary and confused
blown off course by high winds
far away from his home loft.
Reassured by the other birds
feeding peacefully in this garden
he rests above on the roof of the house.
Familiar with the sounds of humans
he responds to the voice that calls him
and the shaking of a seed can.
His recovery is slow
but he becomes stronger
until finally
with two circuits
of the house
he heads
home.

©Sally Cronin 2020

 

If you would like to participate in the challenge here is the link again: Colleen Chesebro Tuesday Poetry Challeng no 185

You can find recent reviews for my latest release and other books: Sally’s books and reviews 2019/2020

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you have enjoyed.. thanks Sally.