This evening will be the same as others, the song of the whippoorwill will be calling me soon, very soon. Each evening I'm serenaded by the sound of a whippoorwill over and over again. I thought to describe to you the feeling I have when I hear the song. But much like the elusive whippoorwill, I can't quite put my finger on my whippoorwill feelings.
The night sounds of the whippoorwill, the melancholy sound, the repetition of the calls draw me in. It's the haunting call of two, sometimes three notes, repeated over and over again which lead me into a rhythm of relaxation and reflection, and dreaming of softness and sweetness.
I discovered this poem by Emily Dickinson called, A Feather From The Whippoorwill, and thought you'd enjoy it.
A feather from the Whippoorwill
That everlasting -- sings!
Whose galleries -- are Sunrise --
Whose Opera -- the Springs --
Whose Emerald Nest the Ages spin
Of mellow -- murmuring thread --
Whose Beryl Egg, what Schoolboys hunt
In "Recess" -- Overhead!
Several of you asked about purchasing pieces of pottery from my home gallery. For your convenience, I've added a buy button at the top of my blog. I'll be at a local market today so measurements and pricing will be added by tomorrow. Thanks so much for your interest in my pottery.
I often heard the sound of a whippoorwill calling out in the very early hours of the morning. Very early. In the summertime, I had a bed in a room off the porch and that sound to me Is he sound of childhood. I wrote a poem about it, which I then turned into a song. Thank you for calling up a great memory. I hope you have a fun day.
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa, thanks, I hope you post your poem and song about the whippoorwill.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I have been missing here in Arkansas. Wonder if is is just here or the whole state, I will have to check. Thanks for the memory jog.
ReplyDeleteLinda- I woke up thinking about how we use to have many, many, MANY of these around the house and now- sadly I can not tell you when I heard one last.
ReplyDeleteThey use to keep me awake and now I would love to hear just one.
Lovely poem! I love whippoorwills, but they have been keeping me awake at night, lately. Just wish that they would wait until morning to sing. lol Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHi Patti, thanks, Arkansas is the first place I heard the whippoorwill since they don't have them in California. In Arkansas they have the two not call, or poor will, but only start to sing when it is warm enough in the Spring, perhaps up north where you are - it isn't time to plant peas yet.
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, thanks, you know I didn't realize till I looked it up that they nest on the ground so snakes and raccoons probably eat their eggs so in some areas they are endangered. Sad. Last night I heard two, one with the two notes and one with the three notes, but very early in the morning not late at night. I only hear them if I have the window open.
Hi Marguerite, thanks, you must have lots of whippoorwills where you are if they keep you up at night, better them, though, than boom boxes or traffic.