Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (I hear the cardinal)

I hear the cardinal
sound his call, his metallic “chip, chip, chip!”
I wonder whom he is warning off,
or what he is challenging.

I peer up at the nest,
notice the shredded, grimy bits of plastic.
I think about how nothing is perfect,
yet we are challenged to reach perfection.

I touch the branch,
reaching up from the step ladder, and pull down.
It is empty.  No shells.  No feathers.
Desolate and lonely.

Published by Amy @ Generous Wisdom | Spacious Heart

Amy's work centers around the embodied experience of love's spaciousness and is grounded in brain, body, and heart-based wisdom. She teaches yoga, meditation, & writing as a way to foster tender self-love that supports empathy and compassion-driven work in the world. Check out her bio @amysecrist.com.

2 Comments

  1. Cynthia says:
    August 18, 2013 at 10:49 pm

    Ahhh we both have cardinals in our poems!!! Love it!! The perfection and its challenge and the desolate and lonely resonate well with the empty nest. Lovely details of No shells. No feathers… and the step ladder. Enjoyed this post. Thank you!!

    Reply
  2. AmySecrist says:
    August 20, 2013 at 5:19 am

    Thank you for reading and complimenting. So thankful for your encouragement!

    Reply

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