Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

Tanka- last message February 13, 2019

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:39 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

“My battery is low

and it’s getting dark.” Weep

for my silent voice.

Opportunity,

roved beyond expectation.

.

.

Today, the Mars Rover Opportunity has been declared dead. It was meant to function for 90 days, and instead, worked for 15 years  and sent amazing data about Mars’s hydrography.  It was recently caught in a dust storm that covered its solar panels.  In some future time, will someone clean the dust off this strange relic, and Opportunity will call to NASA again?  Until then, Sleep well, Opportunity.  More info here.

 

tanka- fire August 10, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:33 am
Tags: , , , , ,

Illuminated sky,

brazing forest surrounds us.

Pile life in the car

Ghostly rain of pine needles

That are powder at my touch.

.

This month is the tenth anniversary of the Okanagan Mountain Fire.  In 2003 this devastating fire surrounded the hills in Kelowna, led to the evacution of 27,000 people (including my parents). 239 buildings were destroyed.  As we were evacuating my parents, ash was falling from the sky.  When we looked into our boxes later, they had many grey pine needles in, but when I reached to pick them out, they dissolved.

 

kiss the sky March 15, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:02 am
Tags: , , , , ,

The fields are reaching

 misty fingers from the earth,

stretching to the sky.

Clouds descend, enfolding all

in their diaphanous cloaks.

 

 

not quite spring February 16, 2012

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:48 am
Tags: , , , ,

Spring’s promise whispered,
a twilight song warming me.
Buds broke joyfully
from bare, dead, winter branches;
Now they wear a snow blanket.

 

summer storm tanka July 18, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:18 am
Tags: , , , ,

light fractures the sky

overhead, the explosion

crashes and smashes,

roaring to the universe

of heaven’s summer power

.

.

As I write, the sky is flashing and the rain is pouring down.  The thundering echoes are rumbling above the house and wind is blowing.   There are some thirty thousand motorcycle riders camping in the area for a huge rally that’s been going on this weekend.  I’ll bet the ones that left today are really glad they’re not in a tent in this storm!

 

rain storm tanka June 26, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:30 am
Tags: , , , ,

Heavenly percussion

is punctuating

piano melodies

rising up stairs to

the rhythm of rain.

 

Spring tanka March 28, 2011

Filed under: Commentary,Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:15 am
Tags: , ,

Crocuses and tulips

Erupt from their winter sleep

They stretch up their stems

reaching toward a blue sky

to fill the garden with joy

 

winter evening tanka November 21, 2010

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:38 pm
Tags: , , ,

The road is frosted
with a sparkling coat of white.
Car lights twinkling
Slipping, sliding and spinning,
Sparkle camouflages ice.

.

.

(At this juncture, the car is off the road, and the driver is standing forlornly with arms crossed, hands tucked under arm pits, stomping his/her feet to keep warm while s/he waits for someone to push him out of the ditch…  Welcome to winter!)

 

birthday wishes tanka July 10, 2010

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:07 am
Tags:

Tunes trembling above,
twinkling like a mythic dance
wrapped in memory,
I wish you great happiness
And many years of music

 

rose blossom tanka May 18, 2010

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:01 am
Tags: , ,

the scent of roses
sends sweet lingering kisses
drifting on the breeze,
soft sighing in evening air,
whisp’ring gentle caresses.

 

 
%d bloggers like this: