The First Time
Blackbird, you must believe me,
but I didn’t set out to praise you.
So much can seem pastoral,
hackneyed, and plain ‘done already’.
But your song today
when I opened the window,
once the lashing rain had passed
and a feeble sun had come out –
it was so vital and clear.
You were not troubled by worry,
not hamstrung with minutiae,
nor at all concerned about
what you should be doing.
You simply sang from your heart,
a heart which I can’t always find
or even acknowledge in me.
Today then, at least let me say
it was like hearing you
for the first time.
Which of course, I was
Poem © copyright df barker
Ciscography 
David, I love this – as you listen to the blackbird “for the first time”. How often we take the “mundane” for granted, not seeing or hearing the beauty in nature – the specialness. A delightful discovery. 🙂
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I’ve missed you recently. I enjoyed this so much. An ode to a blackbird. At once both capturing the ordinary and then again, NOT. Debra
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Oh Beautiful ..bright orange yellow beak and the songs of the heart,so sure so pure
lovely poetry 🙂
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Hi David
this is great, the blackbird has a real language I think (I just did a posting about that! ) and I also love listening to them, in the early hours and evening. Sometimes they have these real melodies sang by the same blackbird, It must be full of messages to the others.
Have a nice Sunday!
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Thank you so much Betty!
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Debra, you are so kind, thank you!
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I’m very grateful Soma, thanks ‘a ton’! 🙂
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Thank you once again Ina. Have a nice Sunday too!
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great…sometimes we hear things indeed for the first time, even after hearing them a hundred times already…all depending on an open heart..and think we should just do the same more often and sing simply from our heart..
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Thank you Claudia, your comments are most welcome and appreciated – I will today try to catch up with a few of your posts!
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Yes you were. 🙂 Just gorgeous here. We gotta get and stay in this moment no doubt. I never wanna grow up to be jaded & cynical. 🙂 Very well put by you.
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Thanks very much Pete!
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One of the things that is so cool about this is that you opened my ears to a Blue Jay outside my window who will not stop squacking, and then I noticed the songbirds. Before that ,a barking dog had center stage. I love reminders to stop and notice.
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I’m a bird lover myself so I really enjoyed this. I can’t imagine life without them.
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We have a blackbird who truly sings for his supper, I love them. Great poem.
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Thank you very much Victoria!
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Thank you Susan!
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Thank you once again Susan!
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Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! 😀
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This is a beautiful tribute to the blackbird, David; I could almost hear him singing and it’s wonderful to enjoy nature’s many beauties~
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Very beautiful and the world is a much better place with your writings!
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Eve, thank you very much!
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Thank you very much Lauren!
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Oh, bless you! You are so kind, thank you very much!
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I am so pleased at your honoring the singing of a blackbird like this. I have always been saddened by people complaining about incoming flocks of migrating blackbirds. I rejoice in them!
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Wonderful poem, David. I love the blackbird song, you captured the impact of the song when we take time to listen.
Ciao, Francina
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Thank you Francina!
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Your poem sings like birdsong, as fresh and new, as if it’s never been done before!
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