Wood Thrushes

Post date: Aug 01, 2016 7:1:16 PM

I'm resting in Bennington Vermont, a nice town in which to take a break. With time on my hands, I thought back to a night gone by and wrote this:

Darkness crept slowly into camp as wood thrushes sang. They were close but unseen and unafraid in the dusk while perched on branches not too far away. I close my eyes and listen to the enchanting, lilting music coming from the edge of the woods. I imagine the song being from all that was out there, with the wood thrush somehow representing the entire forest. And sing it did, deep into my being. In a dream like manner thoughts percolate in my mind in a random, haphazard way as I listened...,"we come from deep time, but we could leave in short time"..."our planet, your lives and your children's lives will be much diminished if I leave...if others leave"...dreaming, I see the thrush calling out the flute-like music followed by its descending trill. I see its rust-brown back and creamy white breast speckled with an array of dark spots. I see it looking my way. I briefly open my eyes and see the soft moon peaking through the branches of the trees. Then back in a trance from the song..."we need you"..."you need us"..."help us". Yes, you do need help. You have unfortunately made "the list" of birds in trouble, and join 432 of your winged brethren...out of 1154 species in North America. More than one third of you threatened according to the latest State of the Birds report. I would hate to see you go. And yes, the world would lose a lot if it lost your unique voice echoing through the woods giving untold beauty to listeners like me. I open my eyes and the moon has moved on, and I feel a small tear running down my cheek.