James,
Not sure what to make of this. the subject matter is rich. Is it an extended
metaphor? In which case I would look for more symbolic weight to create a
sense of dual vision (between object and symbol). Is IT an empirical poem?
In which case I would expect it to be more closely observed.
"wild creatures tend to die of violence in nature". That's too great a
generalisation. Depends on the organism and the stage in the life cycle. An
oyster catcher chick would be likely to die from violence (flightless and
vulnerable, waiting to get snapped up by a black-backed gull or some such)
but an adult has other hazards (weather and shortage of food). Certainly
there are birds of prey that could take them out in the air, but they
themselves are rare, under greater threat of extinction than a humble oyster
catcher. A dog, playful or otherwise would just be a nuisance as flying away
is such an effective defence.
A few other suggs in the poem.
BW,
Colin
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Bell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2003 12:29 PM
Subject: New sub: A Small Death
> Back to a theme I don't seem to have found the bottom to yet.
>
>
> A SMALL DEATH
>
> Have seen my first dead bird today,
> a feathered heap upon the waterline
> only visible through WITH INSTEAD OF THROUGH binoculars, even then
> I barely manage to identify what it is.
>
> It's raining, the sky is grey,
> the space around the dead bird desolate;
> an oyster catcher, is the guess,
> from plumage colour, for there's nothing else.
>
> I wonder how it ended there this rare
> retiring bird I don't know so DELETE SO well;
> wild creatures tend to die of violence in nature,
> though this one had not been attacked
>
> by playful family dog or another
> more serious hunter, for no feathers
> lay around, no signs of torn flesh -
> just the stillnes - the soft toll of waves.
>
>
>
> bw
> James
>
>
> LIKE THE ENDING, THE SOFT TOLL OF WAVES
>
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