why i feed the birds

Posted on by Live & Learn

bird-in-hand

once
i saw my grandmother hold out
her hand cupping a small offering
of seed to one of the wild sparrows
that frequented the bird bath she
filled with fresh water every day

she stood still
maybe stopped breathing
while the sparrow looked
at her, then the seed
then back as if he was
judging her character

he jumped into her hand
began to eat
she smiled 

a woman holding
a small god 

~ Richard Vargas, why i feed the birds

 

Image Credit. Poem Credit. Poem from Vargas’ book Guernica at Amazon here.

43 thoughts on “why i feed the birds”

  14. Such a beautiful quote. It reminds me of my Papaw. He would set out pecans under an old oak tree for the squirrels. Then he would knock on the tree and set them on the ground. As time went on he would knock on the tree and they would come half way down and then to the ground and finally they began to take them from his hand and he would smile a smile a smile given only by God.

  20. thanks for using my poem in tandem with the lovely photograph. my grandmother would have appreciated it, too. my book of poems, Guernica, revisited, is available on amazon and at Press 53 website. you can order directly from me for a signed copy. rvargas54@yahoo.com

    1. Hi Richard. Thank you so much for dropping by and for writing such a beautiful poem. I will be sure to pick up a copy of your book. Thank you again.

Leave a Reply