Today at dVerse Poetics Pub, we are having a joust of sorts. We are to choose a line (or more) from one of two poems (or both) chosen by the previous bartenders, Brian and Claudia. Here is the link: http://dversepoets.com/2015/02/26/pick-a-line-and-get-that-joust-started/ I chose a line from Claudia’s poem. it is in italics.
copyright kanzensakura
Branch blown by the wind –
fingers stick out from the snow
reaching out.
I threw out bread for the birds
On both ends,
A sparrow perched,
their feathers fluffed with the cold
and bright eyes seeking
out the bits of bread closest
to their perch.
The full branch lay encased
under the snow
holding steady – an invisible bridge.
the sparrows chirp
and cock their heads
and converse about their plans.
“later we will cross
tower bridge into the night”.
In the morning
I see no trace of their
tracks but the bits of bread are gone.
kanzen sakura 
Feb 26, 2015 @ 22:43:59
Love the tower bridge for the sparrows – a charming scene – we love to feed these little feathered creatures too- they give such joy
Feb 26, 2015 @ 22:53:06
Yes, they really do!
Feb 26, 2015 @ 22:46:50
i fed the birds today as well…and a squirrel that was doing a funny dance in the snow looking for food..he kept pushing his head down in the snow and jerking back up …i chuckled a bit but felt bad and brought him a treat…cool reimaging of that branch as the bridge for them..
Feb 26, 2015 @ 22:52:43
It is fun to feed the critters and a kindness as well. One of my rowdy squirrels had his butt up in the air as he kept digging deeper and deeper into the snow. His friend came along, barked at him and began to eat bread off the snow. The other squirrel popped up like…oh! duh!
Feb 28, 2015 @ 09:22:18
just checking to see if i had said something wrong — to cause you to skip over me…
ha, i love squirrels…they are so playful….
Feb 28, 2015 @ 09:45:24
Oh my goodness me! No indeed. I’m going to go through all the ones I haven’t read and commented on this morning. I am sorry and hope you realize I would not do such a thing. I always enjoy reading the poems posted and you are one of my favorites.
Mar 01, 2015 @ 18:42:55
nope…it was just odd that you all of a sudden stopped reading and commenting last tuesday…and did not hear from you for mtB or for OLN…
Mar 01, 2015 @ 19:42:29
That is odd. I commented on both of your posts. I am having to get used to other sites and the differences in submitting comments. I probably zig when I should have zagged.
Mar 01, 2015 @ 19:43:26
I am also still recovering from pneumonia so I’m not the sharpest knife in the block right now! 🙂
Feb 26, 2015 @ 23:19:10
I love feeding critters; birds, cats, wild rabbits (and skunks possibly) get treats from me… A certain cat always comes by my house… every now and then it get’s lucky and finds a bowl of tuna. heheh
Feb 26, 2015 @ 23:30:24
I’m a big one for feeding the critters as well. It is a kindness we can do.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 00:14:47
Such a charminly observed, tender poem. I like the imagined conversation -they really do chirrup in a very Cockney manner, the sparrows, don’t they?
Feb 27, 2015 @ 04:15:30
Yes they do. Even in Japan, they have that cockney quality. I just love that!
Feb 27, 2015 @ 00:50:08
Oh I’m sure they would have such a conversation.. A little bread goes a long way to get through these hard days, and I’m glad it gives them some time to have fun also.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 04:14:35
I often listen to them and wonder what is happening in their sparrow world. Stale blueberry muffins really gets them going!
Feb 27, 2015 @ 02:41:16
Such a happy feeling you generate with this!
Feb 27, 2015 @ 04:13:30
Thank you. The sparrows seemed happy going about their sparrow business, in spite of the cold and snow.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 03:15:17
i love listening to the sparrows when they converse about their plans… smiles… wondering if they’re talking about how flying feels… would love to know ya know… would be like crossing a bridge as well probably…
Feb 27, 2015 @ 04:12:46
I too often wonder what sparrows are saying to each other.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 10:20:40
We feed the birds from a lovely red “barn” hanging from the wisteria. However they end up eating mostly from the ground cause the deer come at night and hit the feeder with their head to spill the seed on the ground. At least they all get to eat this snowy winter.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 10:52:57
Yes they do. And some of them are ground eaters anyway so it works out for every one.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 11:02:10
Yes, I think our doves, jays and woodpeckers love it.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 12:42:58
It amazes me the variety of birds around this area. It is a joy to see them coming and going and the varieties that change with the seasons.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 13:14:36
Such a lovely scene ~ We don’t see that many birds here in our backyard, just the nosy squirrels ~ I can imagine them having that conversation 🙂
Feb 27, 2015 @ 17:13:32
They are very talky. We have all kinds of birds and it is a pleasure to watch them.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 22:45:32
you paint a lovely scene here, although I was wondering when I saw the picture…I immediately conjured images of some monster lurking beneath the snow, with just its skeletal hands above the surface. 🙂
Feb 28, 2015 @ 09:46:59
Aren’t our poetic brains wonderful? I had not thought of that aspect at all. I think I shall get several poems from this one photo. Thank you!
Feb 28, 2015 @ 05:53:32
Simple and rich. Love the pic, actually. And how the story matches perfectly.
I really enjoy poetry that I don’t walk away from without understanding.
Nicely done
Feb 28, 2015 @ 10:01:25
Thank you both counts. I love this pic as well and I think I have about 3 more poems for it. My own private prompt! Like you, I don’t always care for twisty turny poems that leave me shaking my head. I’m a forthright person and like that in my literature. Although I can pick through them and pull out a bunch of meanings, I’d rather it just speak to me. Thank you again
Feb 28, 2015 @ 08:07:40
I love the line – holding steady, an invisible bridge 🙂
Feb 28, 2015 @ 09:46:04
It is still under the snow and the little birds still taking turns to perch.
Feb 28, 2015 @ 14:15:22
The images are vivid, and the entire thing works as a metaphor for the way we bridge across the weather in winter. We had four inches of snow, and you’d think it was Boston in Dallas. I spent 5 hours getting back and forth to the cancer center with my friend yesterday because these people in Dallas have no clue how to navigate in ice and snow, and we have no road equipment for it. Yet there were people getting out of cars giving other folks a helping push or lift if they got stuck all over the place. Winter does bring out the good samaritans.
Feb 28, 2015 @ 14:30:31
Yes it does. We had 8 inches. Last winter we had quite a bit as well but folks around here go crazy with the word snow. They storm the groceries to stock up on bread, milk and of all things, bananas. it is funny to see. But many times, they still don’t have a clue on how to drive. it is good to know people help each other out, all over the country. This photo has prompted so many different comments. I think I now have food for three poems for this photo.
Feb 28, 2015 @ 16:02:34
Great – forge on!
Feb 28, 2015 @ 16:23:41
😊
Feb 28, 2015 @ 19:17:07
This is so lovely. I like the straightforwardness of your poem. Today we lined up peanuts on our fence for the squirrels. It was fun to watch them try to dodge the deep snow to get them. 🙂
Feb 28, 2015 @ 20:07:01
Oh that is great! Lining up the peanuts and watching the squirrels. they are such comics anyway. I am glad you liked the poem! Thank you.
Mar 01, 2015 @ 15:30:20
Hi Kanzen, I am enjoying your blog a lot, I really loved the two poems that you wrote using line from someone else’ s poem, the one about the Samurai, kept me interested until the last word; wonderful. Thanks for following and liking my blog, best wishes and blessing, Charles.
Mar 01, 2015 @ 22:53:01
Nicely penned, I really like the ending 🙂
Mar 02, 2015 @ 11:24:05
Thank you!
Mar 02, 2015 @ 11:33:54
No problem 🙂
Mar 02, 2015 @ 08:09:04
This is so lovely, especially the last few lines.
“In the morning
I see no trace of their
tracks but the bits of bread are gone.”
We are just casual observers of what we are aloud to see.
Mar 02, 2015 @ 08:10:14
*allowed 🙂
Mar 02, 2015 @ 11:20:49
And what we are permitted to see is so very precious.