The first of every month is Muse Day. Carolyn over at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago started this muse day and everyone that would like to post a poem on the first of the month is welcome to do so and then leave a comment
here so everyone can come read your muse.
September always seems to be the beginning of fall to me. The bird migration is in full swing, the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn red and yellow and the Ash tree seeds are beginning to descend.
I just love the way Mary Oliver writes about nature with her poetry so here is my selection written by her.
September
I walk through a grove of pines and startle the nighthawk
from the limb where it has been lying, resting or sleeping.
The bird is similar in color to the gray limb, and lies along
not across it, so is almost invisible. On its hawk-like wings
it rises into the sky, and vanishes.
The nighthawk doesn't nest here but only stops a few days
on its long travels. I know this one must be tired of flight,
and I am sorry to have disturbed it.
The next day, walking the same woods, I approach with
care. The bird is again resting on the limb, its eyes shut. I
back away and do not disturb it.
The following year, almost to the day, I neter the
pinewoods and remember the nighthawk just in time-in
time to be cautious and silent. Ane the bird is there, in the
same tree, on the same limb, int he pinewoods that is so
pretty and so restful, apparently to both of us.
___________________________________________________________________________________
I guess you are wondering why this struck me. It is because we have been seeing small groups of migrating nighthawks lately. They are such lively birds even though they are nocturnal most of the time. When in migration or just after their young hatch you see them during the daylight hours.
I don't have a picture of a nighthawk so I will leave you with a picture of this buckeye butterfly on the sedums.
If you would like to read a little more about Common Nighthawks and see a picture of one you can go to
Ohio Birds & Biodiversity by Jim McCormack and there is a couple of posts about them.
Happy muse day to all. I look forward to reading your post.