Found Poem: Thrasher

Found Poem: Long-billed Thrasher

Common, brushy,

Very similar to

Drabber, especially 

 

Grayish, whiter, blacker,

Blackish, even

Brown but less clearly

Rufous.

 

Blackish, grayish,

Whitish streak.

 

Source: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley. (Alfred A. Knopf, 2003)

***

Method: I photocopied a random page of a field guide to birds, and concocted the blackout poem above. The last two lines often characterize my experience of bird watching, especially during the busy spring. I've seen the Long-billed Thrasher's Eastern cousin, the Brown Thrasher, but never the LBT itself. One day!

The Poetry Friday roundup for April 29th is at Jone Rush MacCulloch's blog.

Comments

[Linda Baie]

It is rather funny with the final lines: "Blackish, grayish, /Whitish" Yes, I can hear a birder describing it now! And it's always delightful, like yours, to see how a blackout poem emerges! Hope you're having a great weekend!

[Susan Thomsen]

Yes, indeed, Linda. I was out birdwatching earlier today! Thank you for stopping by.

[Heidi Mordhorst]

Ha! I thought that by this: The last two lines often characterize my experience of bird watching," you were going to say something like "they all look alike to me"--but you fooled me and made me go back to understand your "whitish streak"! Love how you worked this.

[Susan Thomsen]

Thanks for reading, Heidi! This was pretty silly, but I wanted to have a Poetry Friday poem. I like watching birds, but I miss a LOT because they're so dang fast.

[KAREN EDMISTEN]

"but less clearly rufous." — I now feel compelled to find a way to work these lines into a conversation. :)

I'm reminded of someone describing the notes they detect in a wine. Same vibe of interest and passion. Lovely, Susan!

[Susan Thomsen]

Karen, ahahaha, great idea about working that into a conversation. Isn't "rufous" a great word? I wish we used it more often. The lines almost could be about wine, now that I think about it! Thanks for stopping by.

[Mary Lee]

Identifying migratory birds and small insects brings out the most vague in our descriptions! "Blackish, grayish," smallish and usually moving too fast for anything more than that!

[Susan Thomsen]

Mary Lee, yes, it does. Also hard is telling other people where a bird is--kind of tree, which branch. Birders often use a clock analogy: it's in the oak at about 11 o'clock, which is great--if you know what an oak looks like. Lots to learn for me!

[Carol Varsalona]

I finally got around to reading your found poem, Susan. It is interesting how your poem evolved around colors as simple descriptors.