A Lucky Encounter!

This posting was a record of events which occurred on June o1, 2010 but posted in prose and was not linked anywhere. I was then inspired to turn it into verse and had it posted in verse only in October 10, 2010 ( here )

The verse version was my first attempt of the journey into poetry writing. I cannot then therefore link to any verse prior to June 30, 2010 (apologies)


The images I managed to record within those split seconds when the Mother Bird returned with what appeared to be an insect and the Baby Bird clamouring with beaks opened asking to be fed.


The Mother Bird flew away and then after about 15 mins came back again and this time it looked like a cherry in its beak. Baby Bird now stretched higher to get at the 'food'.

The Little Bird

What a stroke of good fortune
I’d not with such luck be blessed?
One morning , 2010, the 1st of June
A little baby bird stirred in a nest

Not unlike a flower in bloom
As on a silver platter it dropped
There in front of the living room
A drama unfurled, unrehearsed sans props

Our domestic helper had spied movements
She just couldn’t believe her eyes
In a nest that appeared unwittingly dormant
A baby bird suddenly came alive

She rushed to tell me, ‘Bapak , ada burung! ***
A little amused , I thought she’d turned randy
But, lo! In all innocence, she wasn’t wrong
A baby bird right in front of my eyes to see.

My turn it was then to rush , and praying hard
From a vantage position behind the curtains, I hid
Still as the night, and stiff as the palace guard
I stood, camera at the ready, quietly for my first bid

Pray be, mother bird come back to roost to thy nest
I’m waiting, I’m waiting, had never been into bird-watching
But favor me, fly in, on your crown that upright crest
Just swoop in, pray be, my camera would be clicking

What do you know, my prayers were answered
Not once ,not twice but that many that I had hoped
‘twas click, click, click,click, was I flustered?
No, a better part of the hour, my patience aptly rewarded

Mother bird, swooped in, a tiny insect in its beak
On a tiny branch it perched, just above the nest
Baby bird, neck stretching , beak wide open ever so quick
So hungry and impatient, it gobbled and chomped at nature’s best

I waited again the morning after hoping for more
Mother bird never did appear and true to form
Unlike the swallows that were faithfully back to Capistrano
The baby bird flew off a few days after never to return


Translation: ‘Sir, there’s a bird’ ***


Inspired by One Stop Poetry Friday Poetically with Brian Miller