Sharing this especially for my dear friend Jeanne who will know why this particular poem is so special, and that I am thinking of her. Also, Christina at Words for the Year is awesome and posts WORDS that are always worthy of reading.
Today is Earth Day, people. Go out and feed a bird or two!
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
“why i feed the birds” by Richard Vargas from Guernica, Revisited. © Press 53, 2014.
*for my grandmother, who loved to feed the birds and who passed that love to me
A Wilderness of Words 
I need to have hubs read this as well. He’s the birder in the family and feeds the birds all year long. It’s very sweet.
LikeLike
I love it because it honors nature’s creatures AND his grandmother. Also, I would like to feed sparrows out of my hand. What reverence.
LikeLike
That’s a message I always drum into my children when Winter is coming-for the birds it’s life-or-death time, and we can make a difference in them making it or not.
LikeLike
Good dad, Andy. We have deer sometimes, and lots of rabbits. I like to put out apples and things for them.
LikeLike
Sharing food with other creatures or indeed just being able to be near them is like a gift. The trust spent on their behalf must be large. To have a bird spring up and down in your hand is just splendid.B
LikeLike
What a lovely poem! The idea of feeding a wild bird from my hand is delightful.
LikeLike
So glad he judged her character perfectly!
Happy Earth Day!
LikeLike
thanks for posting my poem. just reminding everyone it is available in my new book of poetry, Guernica, revisited, available thru amazon, or Press 53. i wrote a whole series of “milgro” poems, mostly about the peace and beauty of nature. hope you check it out.
LikeLike
Thanks for writing it, it’s lovely. I did order your book, by the way. I look forward to reading it.
LikeLike