Monday, May 11, 2009

Mountain Plover- Dreams

As the season transforms itself from spring, the call of the Mountain Plover is heard less often. The now familiar sound still brings me to attention. I hope to see the flight display again. It is hard to put into words the feelings one gets seeing something unusual and rare. It is like finding a buried treasure or climbing a mountain peak. The scene just can't be described, only experienced. The Falling Leaf Display, as it is called, is performed over the nesting grounds. The male flies into the air, plummets with wings held in a tight "V", and drifts back to earth. This repeated dance is accompanied by the call that echoes across the prairie as to say, "Whee, here I come... look at meee!" Oh, the things we will do to impress our lady friends. In a time of anticipation, I penned these words, hoping the real event would be as vivid as my imagination. They remind me of finding my own treasure and the crystal clear view standing on the mountain peak.

The Mountain Plover

From falling leaf to falling leaf
how strange it was…
I saw the plover flying near
up, up - on powerful wings they flew

So high its ascent,
almost beyond sight
then in an instant tumbled
down, down - as a wind-blown leaf might do

Then up again to higher points
it all began again
feathers ruffled, he plummeted
Swiftly, swiftly he blew

And many a hidden secret told
by the pattern of wing and tilt
what purple, what gems displayed for her
below, below - he knew


October 2008
Plover Lover

No comments:

Post a Comment