Red Canyon Petroglyph, Detail
Every Other Bird
I’ve walked forests with those who
can name a bird by its song. But
I wonder about the mute one,
the bird unnoticed as it arcs up
between oak leaves and spindles
of afternoon light. Its dull form
dimmed by the bright presence
of a tanager it always seems to be
behind, like the least popular boy
in school. No one remembers
his name or what happened to him.
Any movement is assumed a flutter
of tree bark flaking in a draft of wind.
When we turn toward home, and
marvel at the beauty of the sunset,
we’re ignorant of how that bird
threaded the air like a nest
to make this moment possible.
______________
Michael T. Young
Review by Carla Schwartz
I love how this poem starts out, relating a story of walking with those who know birds by song. I like the comparison of the bird not singing at the moment to the least popular boy. That said, there are some problems (logic problems) here. For example, if the bird is unnoticed, how would the speaker notice the bird? Also, Why does the poem begin in first person singular and move to plural at the end? The last sentence of the poem brings in a fantasy about the bird threading the air, and I think the poem loses something with this ending.
Review by Karen O’Leary
Interesting analogy between birds and humanity. The first-person point of view works well to help the reader to connect to the thoughts presented. The multisensory imagery is an asset of this poem. Well done!