For The Sunday Whirl poetry prompt: Wordle #142
http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com
bit, might, behind, spare, caress, sky,
save, expect, pair, struck, scarlet, first
And for Poets United: Poetry Pantry #183
http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/
Photo from the Internet
Point of View
A pair of scarlet tanager wings
carelessly caresses the sky.
While below, the boy desperate
to be first, to finally fill
his father’s expectations,
refuses to spare himself.
Forgetting to save a bit of energy
for that final lap,
strikes a stone in his path,
and is left far behind.
Tanager, now perched, bends its head
in what might be defined
as curiosity, seemingly asking,
“Why?”
Elizabeth Crawford 1/5/14
Notes: When I saw the word scarlet, I was immediately transported back in time, watching myself struggling up a familiar and favorite winding wooded path toward a natural stone bridge dating back to Paleolithic times. Half way there, I caught sight of the incredible color of a scarlet tanager that landed in a tree branch and looked at me with a similar cocked head like that in the above photo. In answer to his question, I responded, “Because there will soon come a time when I will no longer be able to do so.”
That time has come, and I can only be glad I made all those memories. The story here was created to fit the wordle words and is pure fiction, sort of.
Soul's Music 
A simple piece with so much depth and meaning. I love the vivid art the words capture too. Wonderful write 🙂
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I thoroughly enjoyed the alliteration here:
“to be first, to finally fill
his father’s expectations”
And the “s” and “k” sounds combo’ed here:
“carelessly caresses the sky”
“Tanager” is a great new word I picked up, too.
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To be aware of nature’s goodness is a rare blessing that makes for a great poetry. Not many have that spur of the moment reaction to draw on their talents. Wonderful write Elizabeth!
Hank
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How true your words are which follow the adage “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today”. Which you can add of course “look up and see the beauty of this world”.
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Sort of fiction is the best..i love the little Tanagers questioning glance..there is always something/one watching out..guiding..maybe that’s why it’s always worth a try
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No animal can understand a Human’s desire to live for others because animals live only for themselves and no one else. “carelessly caresses the sky’ is a lovely musical phrase.
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I always come to your site with ‘great expectations’ and I am never disappointed. It seems funny, our pieces so different, yet we wrote the same thing? I liked it very much, seemed to be beautifully colored with a crayon in pure primary colors.
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I could see all this playing out right before my eyes! I like your response to the tanager while you were out on your walk. Makes me grateful for what I am able to do now because who knows what life brings.
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Beautiful, Elizabeth.
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really a quite poignant moment…the son wanting to prove himself and pushing himself until hurt or even killed…its a sad reality that plays out all too often among us….
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Love this Elizabeth, The photo, your poem, and your personal story make it a fine read.
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So much more in your word that at first glance.. that stone in the path…
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Beautiful words…
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Photo, poems, notes. I love this post, and I best get out on those trails while I still can. This is a good reminder of the beauty in the world. It will continue even when we cannot. The scarlet tanager is a lovely bird. I don’t see many of them in Montana. Thank you for bringing yours to my home.
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You had me at scarlet tanager… thank you for taking me along on this memory. Great write.
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A poem that needs to be read more than once in order to take in all it has to offer…
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I, too, have seen the gorgeous tanager in the wild. A gift!
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What a great ending, “why”, my perpetual question. Glad you have the vivid memories.
Pea
X
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I love the flash of color with the tanager……..and your reply to the bird “because there will come a time…” We have reached that time. Yes, hold close those memories, my friend…….
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A poem all of us of a certain age can identify with, Elizabeth. The “why” ending was interesting…as perhaps there COULD be other answers given as well.
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A very neat take on the contrast between natural impulse and human desire and will. Good one.
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love the scarlet tanager in words and in picture.
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And a fine question it is too. I ask it whenever I see a jogger.
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I feel the same about joggers…
‘Why’ is a beautiful open question and yours was the perfect answer.
Anna :o]
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filling a fathers expectations seemed so sad and I love how the why’s always present themselves.
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Gorgeous writing, Elizabeth. Thanks for the hugs, my friend, while they are long distance they are felt.
Pamela
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i love this poem even more so after you spoke of yr personal story… it somehow made it all the more important as a real part of you… isn’t that what we always do anyway… into the words…. yes it was revelatory in some sort of way…. oh, and the photo dynamite!!!! love love love birds and the most incredible colors they wear as feathered apparel….
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