You never know what you might find in your local library! Clem was checking out the poetry section today and found the book, Art of Birds by Pablo Neruda. It was first published in Chile in 1966, and recently was translated by Jack Schmitt into English with illustrations by Jack Unruh. It is a treasure of a book.
Neruda is one of our favorite poets. He grew up in a bird-rich place in Chile in one of the most beautiful places in his country. How could anyone who pays attention have not noticed the diversity of bird-life there.
It makes me wonder how it would be to live in a place where there is a relative absence of birds. I so take them for granted - such as the robin who begins caroling at 4:00 am, as regular as clockwork, making me wonder whatever there is to sing about when it is still pitch-dark! Jenny-wren has been singing in our flower-garden the last few days. We are hopeful she is moving into the wren house in the back. Even though she gets a bit territorial when her babes hatch and scolds us when we come near her house. A downy woodpecker has dedicated himself to beating out a rapid rhythm on a dead tree nearby. We wonder if he is marking his territory - and his sweetheart - as off limits to other competitors.
Canaries are given the position of warning when coal-mines are unsafe. But now we have other indicators of danger to all life with the signs of climate change all around us. I hope people begin to seriously listen. Not only do we risk living in a bird-less place, but where the destruction of habitat affects everything - including us humans.
I imagine if Neruda were still alive, he would have plenty to say. Anyone who pays attention to birds would be noticing so much else about our beloved earth.
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