Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Birdie



This is the bird that hangs on a thread from the study window and looks out over the back garden. If not the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, then its close familiar; crude, perhaps, if compared to a living bird, but expressive of something. It has been put together from flotsam and jetsam scraps of material, wire, twigs and feathers from the natural world. On its breast is a red flower (plastic) and a sequin, which catches the light. It is ready for something. Look at those antennae, the blush of pink at the base of the tail feather, the raised wings and the splayed feet. From day to day, no-one sees it but me. If I don't project some measure of hope and joy onto its brittle frame, how can it live at all? And doesn't it deserve to? Perhaps not (perhaps nothing does?) but I won't be the one to put it in black bin bag hell with all the unredeemed clutter. If I say it is alive, then it is. And I do say it.

8 comments:

Anna MR said...

The question of deservingness is an interesting one. Do we (by which I mean everyone and everything; individual people, dandelions, birds put together from flotsam and jetsam, stones, other similar things) have existence due to deservingness? What about living things? Do we have life due to deservingness? What about people - do we have what we have due to deservingness?

I don't know; I would say "no" to all of the above. But then there does seem to come a moment when deservingness enters the arena: people who've suffered a lot deserve a break; people who've loved a lot deserve something in return (at least not to be crushed, what)…

I don't know. Today, I have not known a thing, sweet Signs, and for once, it seems okay and I can live with that. Hurrah.

D'you know what though? I love our wee pact. Shhh.

x

Reading the Signs said...

No, no, no and no - but I also don't know, and if I did I would probably try very hard to unknow such a thing. I can also live with your not knowing. Hurrah.

x

Fire Bird said...

on a thread, by a thread? Brave bird hang on

Reading the Signs said...

Fire Bird, it is a very strong thread ...

Mim said...

Life in the line of the wings and twiggy tail!

Zhoen said...

It has as much right as the trees and the stars.

Life is such a slippery thing, best held loosely, and in awe.

Cusp said...

hanging by a thread ? mmmmmmm....

Reading the Signs said...

Mim, yes so much lives in the gesture.

Zhoen, I like that. Yes.

Cusp, yup.