Lets Go for Bluebirds [Poem]
“Let’s Go for Bluebirds!”
Grandfather would call on a March morning,
snow sparkling in the sun.
Pulling on his wool cap,
He’d lead me down the cow path,
crusts of ice crackling under our boots
“Wait. Let’s look around,” he’d whisper
when we reached the orchard,
searched rows of apple trees,
gray trunks gnarled,
branches craggy
If I heard the singer,
blue-backed, red-breasted thrush,
I waited for Grandfather to point,
trying to keep his voice to a hoarse whisper,
“There he is. On that high branch.”
And what did he always add?
“A piece of sky has landed in the trees!”
Be sure to check out the new Maxwell Corydon Wheat Jr. website!
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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Wanted to have the honor of being first to commment. Had the most glorious sighting today of a flock of Evening Grosbeaks in Humphrey. I have not seen these since back in the late 70’s (when I was very young!)
9 April 2008 at 8:03 pm
This poem is just beautiful Max. It certainly evokes many memories for me too. I remember walking through the pastures with my grandfather to go water the horses and cows. Great times.
9 April 2008 at 8:09 pm
@Nancy – Glad you were the first! Very cool with the Grosbeaks! I will have to keep my eyes open for any others passing through!
@ Lisa – Didn’t he find the most perfect to put those images in your head!
9 April 2008 at 8:44 pm
Bluebirds are my passion and you captured that one perfectly! Beautiful picture in both the image and the poem!
9 April 2008 at 8:48 pm
Tom, I love your birdy poetry. It’s so wonderful! Thank you! I feel like I get to learn new poets who love birds as much as I do!
9 April 2008 at 9:09 pm
Fantastic poem about a bird that stops me in my tracks every time. It’s a love bird, you know. More beautiful than any other and sings love songs.
Thanks, Tom.
9 April 2008 at 10:11 pm
Iwoke up this morning to the birds singing outside my window. I felt blessed. Thanks for sharing the poem and beautiful photo.
9 April 2008 at 11:28 pm
” A piece of sky has landed in the trees”
How very beautiful. The photo and the poem.
~Nita~
9 April 2008 at 11:38 pm
Love his poems Tom. Is he from NY near you?
I heard from Sarah about banding here and she starts next week. I am hoping to bring my niece to ANP.
We will have to hook up with you when you start banding.
9 April 2008 at 11:39 pm
Beautiful poem. Bluebirds are my favorite bird. I was able to take my first real walk yesterday since my surgery. We walked down at Brown’s Farm (Asbury Woods) and it was full of bluebirds. I took video but was too sleepy to edit it and upload it. Maybe tomorrow. They just are so beautiful.
9 April 2008 at 11:46 pm
Love the poem and photo..the bluebird oh so pretty! I am making memories with my grandchildren here in Arizona similar to the grandfather in your poem..
“trying to keep his voice to a hoarse whisper,
“There he is. On that high branch.” ” I hear myself.
10 April 2008 at 12:47 am
Awww… lovely poem indeed.
10 April 2008 at 6:50 am
Max and Tom: Thank you for sharing the lovely poem and photo!
10 April 2008 at 12:14 pm
Great poem and photo!
10 April 2008 at 1:21 pm
A lovely picture of the bluebird. Mine are still fighting with the sparrows over the nesting box. Neither has started building a nest though.
10 April 2008 at 1:33 pm
Beautiful in every way! 😀
10 April 2008 at 1:57 pm
Love the photo and the poem. We can all use a “little bit of sky” in our lives!
10 April 2008 at 5:04 pm
I’ve always wanted to put a bluebird box in my yard, but didn’t really feel like it was the right spot. They are all over the neighborhood, as we have lots of fields and woods around us, but didn’t figure they’d ever live in the yard. Great photo of a great bird.
10 April 2008 at 5:46 pm
I *love* this poem! And what a great photo of the bluebird, Tom!
10 April 2008 at 6:15 pm
Maxwell wrote a great poem and Tom took a great picture!
I have many bluebird houses without bluebirds, but I will admire yours!
10 April 2008 at 10:24 pm
@ Bird Girl – Thanks and I just loved this Poem!
@ Liza – Max did a great job with this and he has an amazing way of sharing his views of nature!
@ Mary – Thanks and you should place the poem somewhere every time you need a smile! And remember “A piece of sky has landed in the trees!”
@ Tania – How wonderful and glad you enjoyed this!
@ Nita – isn’t that great! Glad you enjoyed this!
@ Toni – Thanks and he is from Long Island. I had the chance to meet him 10 years ago at the NYS Federation Meeting!
@ Linda – Glad you enjoyed this and congrats on the many bluebirds! Thanks
@ Naturegirl – Thanks and it is a wonderful that you are sharing nature with them! Max has given me a few other great ones that I will be posting here soon!
@ Jayne – Thanks and I always love his Poems!
@ Pinar – Thanks and you should visit his website!
@ Marg – Glad you enjoyed this!
@ Robin – thanks and sorry to hear about the sparrows! Lets hope the bluebirds win!
@ Mel – Thanks
@ Kathiesbirds – thanks glad you enjoyed Max’s poems! I so agree that we could use “little bit of sky” in our lives!
@ Moe – It is always worth the time to give it a try! You just never know!
@ Pam – Glad you enjoyed! It’s a great one!
@ Chicago – Max does many great poems! Thanks
10 April 2008 at 11:03 pm
What a sweet and apt poem! Love it!
11 April 2008 at 10:10 am
Wonderful poem! It takes me back to my gramps teaching me all about nature too!
12 April 2008 at 12:13 pm
Bluebirds always make me smile. 🙂
13 April 2008 at 12:03 pm
That was nice.-My first memories of watching birds came from my granfather who used to get up at daybreak to watch birds at the feeder.
13 April 2008 at 2:42 pm
@ Adam – glad you enjoyed this, thanks
@ aullori – thanks and glad your grandfather helped you learn!
@ Grace – thanks
@ Larry – glad you have caught up with my post! Now I am behind almost 200 post!
13 April 2008 at 8:26 pm