christmas should be the merriest day on the isles but i,
tiny feathered creature, must silence my celebration as i am
aware of the bloody tradition of st. stephen’s, the martyr, a
mere desecrated day after the holy day, when every student
of ritual hunting will practice taking deadly aim of
us, sweetly innocent singers we, wee little wrens.
source: https://unsplash.com/@jcotten
_______
“Baby Wrens’ Voices” by Thomas R. Smith
I am a student of wrens.
When the mother bird returns
to her brood, beak squirming
with winged breakfast, a shrill
clamor rises like jingling
from tiny, high-pitched bells.
Who’d have guessed such a small
house contained so many voices?
The sound they make is the pure sound
of life’s hunger. Who hangs our house
in the world’s branches, and listens
when we sing from our hunger?
Because I love best those songs
that shake the house of the singer,
I am a student of wrens.
_____________
Melissa Lemay hosts dVerse poetics this week and prompts us to write poems related to animals and Christmas (not the usual animals associated with the Nativity). I wrote a "golden shovel" poem, ending each line with a word from phrase taken from Thomas R. Smith's poem above.
a poem in my pocket 
Jan 05, 2024 @ 09:34:06
I didn’t know about this tradition. Poor babies. 😢
Jan 05, 2024 @ 11:12:22
It was new to me too…I understand it was a tradition that is changing, thankfully.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 09:34:21
Such a cruel custom, Lynn. I had never heard of it.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 21:54:41
me neither…until now…i hope it’s in the past, Dora!
Dec 14, 2023 @ 06:44:59
How wonderful that you contrasted the silence of the wrens (for protection) with the noisiness of babies clamoring for food. I think it works really well and shares a meaningful message.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 08:11:11
It was an interesting prompt, Melissa…thank you for stretching us 🙂
Dec 14, 2023 @ 06:29:21
Beautiful acrostic end poem. I love the message though I feel sad for the wrens.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 08:11:56
i appreciate your comments, Grace!
Dec 14, 2023 @ 05:12:05
I’m glad you tried out a golden shovel! It works too. You took another aspect of the bird, completely different to the ‘student’s’ angle, but so important to the wren.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 08:12:44
Thanks for inspiring me to try, Jane 🙂
Dec 14, 2023 @ 10:01:32
I’m pleased you did 🙂
Dec 14, 2023 @ 03:08:43
It is so cruel… but knowing the wrens from their song I find it hard to kill them as they are so elusive…
Dec 14, 2023 @ 08:14:57
They do have some natural advantages.
Dec 14, 2023 @ 00:49:12
Aw!!! so sad for the wrens.
Much♡love