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The Rebirth of a Song

February 19, 2008

susan_preston_sparrow.jpg

Final Refrain ~ Canon 30d

When the sparrow sings its final refrain, the hush is felt nowhere more deeply than in the heart of man.
~ Don Williams

This little bird must have hurled herself a light speed into a neighbor's window pane, because it was lying precisely where I had intended to place my foot as I walked out of my building one brilliant morning last summer. Sometimes, I see beauty in the strangest things. I thought this lovely creature, who had probably sat on my windowsill eating birdseed just days or hours before, deserved to be honored in some way, so I turned around on my heel and ran back up the three flights of stairs to retrieve my camera. After taking a few shots of this deceased angel, I carefully moved her to a more dignified place - beneath an intoxicatingly lush hydrangea bush which is heavily laden with pink and purple balls of petalled wonder for several weeks of the year. The hydrangea bush is one of the few things I absolutely adore about DC summers, so much so, I steal blossoms from it every June and July to shoot pictures of them.

It will be with much anticipation and joy I'll be waiting for the newest reincarnation of the hydrangea bush months from now. I'm imagining the soul of this sparrow will be present within the new blooms, and the branches I cut to take pictures from will fill the apartment with songs of hope and flights of fancy. I intend to breath life into the memory of this creature so that her song might live on.

Posted by vincent at February 19, 2008 08:55 PM

Comments

Susan, this piece is so lovely, heartfelt, beautiful and inspiring. I am certain the bird will fill your heart and creativity with song when the blooms appear on the hydranga bush. And God smiles down on you and your love of nature.

Posted by: janet at February 19, 2008 04:33 PM

This is such a heartfelt piece. I too feel that way about small things. If only my resting place could be beneath the blue goodness of the hydranga bush.

Posted by: yolanda at February 19, 2008 08:41 PM

"It will be with much anticipation and joy I'll be waiting for the newest reincarnation of the hydrangea bush months from now. I'm imagining the soul of this sparrow will be present within the new blooms, and the branches I cut to take pictures from will fill the apartment with songs of hope and flights of fancy. I intend to breath life into the memory of this creature so that her song might live on."

Those lines are so beautifully written Susan. Made me want to tear up. St. Francis would be oh, so proud. :c)

Posted by: jayne at February 20, 2008 06:24 AM

I'm speachless this time. Well, maybe not. You know me. LOL

There is just something in honoring the dead that causes us to open up to some ground of goodness. Maybe, somehow we can connect with our basic goodness because we know that someday, we too shall die.

Bob

Posted by: Bob at February 20, 2008 05:25 PM