A little piece for homework
Moderator: Shelley Hansen
- Catherine Lee
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:47 pm
- Location: Thailand
A little piece for homework
No lessons, no rehearsal, yet a sweet compelling song
came drifting through my window when my world was going wrong;
it danced upon the breeze in free and easy harmony,
uplifting in its joyful tones and sheer simplicity.
Spontaneous perfection touched the sorrow deep inside—
with dawning pleasure, gratitude, perspective, turned the tide
and pulled me back from grief’s dark edge, restoring faith and hope,
its very nature emphasizing optimism, scope...
I traced it to the source and stood to marvel, lost for words
at unconstrained, untrained yet splendid melody of birds.
came drifting through my window when my world was going wrong;
it danced upon the breeze in free and easy harmony,
uplifting in its joyful tones and sheer simplicity.
Spontaneous perfection touched the sorrow deep inside—
with dawning pleasure, gratitude, perspective, turned the tide
and pulled me back from grief’s dark edge, restoring faith and hope,
its very nature emphasizing optimism, scope...
I traced it to the source and stood to marvel, lost for words
at unconstrained, untrained yet splendid melody of birds.
- DollyDot
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:30 pm
Re: A little piece for homework
Nice work Catherine! Isn't it so nice to hear the birds; it sure beats the sound of traffic.
Cheers
Dot
Cheers
Dot
- Bob Pacey
- Moderator
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- Location: Yeppoon
Re: A little piece for homework
Beautiful words and rhymes Catherine,
I'm woken every morning to the call of a spangled drongo, they only stay for a while but it is so sweet.
Bob
I'm woken every morning to the call of a spangled drongo, they only stay for a while but it is so sweet.
Bob
The purpose in life is to have fun.
After you grasp that everything else seems insignificant !!!
After you grasp that everything else seems insignificant !!!
- Cropduster
- Posts: 604
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:13 pm
Re: A little piece for homework
Lovely poem, Catherine.
I have decided to 'hand up the boots' so to speak, and get out of Sydney.
Hoping to hear the song birds real soon.
Allan
I have decided to 'hand up the boots' so to speak, and get out of Sydney.
Hoping to hear the song birds real soon.

Allan
- Catherine Lee
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:47 pm
- Location: Thailand
Re: A little piece for homework
Thanks so much Dot, Bob and Allan for your kind words.
Dot, I really miss hearing the birds here in Bangkok so always notice them immediately when I return. The traffic is definitely more the status quo here - and it's horrendous!
Bob, my dear friend and fellow poet in QLD Marie-Ellen Booker often speaks to me of her spangled drongos and other birds visiting her daily - it's such a great name!
Allan, where are you off to?
Have a great weekend everyone!
Dot, I really miss hearing the birds here in Bangkok so always notice them immediately when I return. The traffic is definitely more the status quo here - and it's horrendous!
Bob, my dear friend and fellow poet in QLD Marie-Ellen Booker often speaks to me of her spangled drongos and other birds visiting her daily - it's such a great name!
Allan, where are you off to?
Have a great weekend everyone!
- Shelley Hansen
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- Location: Maryborough, Queensland
- Contact:
Re: A little piece for homework
Oh Catherine, that is just beautiful! Simple, elegant, and the punchline withheld till the very end! As someone who delights in a garden full of birds, I love it!
Whether it is the perfect interval tones of the butcher bird, the warble of the magpie, the screech of the cockatoos, lorikeets and galahs, or even the bone-shaking announcements of the hooded plover (yes, we have them all) - my day would be so much poorer without my beloved birds to cheer me!
Cheers, Shelley
Whether it is the perfect interval tones of the butcher bird, the warble of the magpie, the screech of the cockatoos, lorikeets and galahs, or even the bone-shaking announcements of the hooded plover (yes, we have them all) - my day would be so much poorer without my beloved birds to cheer me!
Cheers, Shelley
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com
"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com
"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")
- Maureen K Clifford
- Posts: 8156
- Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:31 am
- Location: Ipswich - Paul Pisasale country and home of the Ipswich Poetry Feast
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Re: A little piece for homework
Very nicely done Catherine - it quite lifted my spirits as the rain pours down yet again in Ipswich and all my birds are silent - spontaneous perfection indeed - good use of the prompts as well
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/
I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/
I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.
- Catherine Lee
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:47 pm
- Location: Thailand
Re: A little piece for homework
Thank you so much Shelley and Maureen for these truly lovely comments. It sounds as if you are both big fans of the birds as well. There is indeed something so special and uplifting about birdsong, and and it's always such a delight to listen to the variety of them all. Thank you again - I'm really glad you enjoyed my little poem.
Re: A little piece for homework
There are some lovely thoughts there Catherine. It's amazing how the sound of birds can start our day off well.
Heather
Heather

- Catherine Lee
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:47 pm
- Location: Thailand
Re: A little piece for homework
You are so right Heather - thanks for your comment 
