I do not understand nature.
Cannot match bird to song,
leaf to tree, petal to flower.
Too much learned at arm's length,
the secondhand story
that comes from the TV or movies.
Out among the birdsong
in all its seasons
I am confused,
out of my element,
feigning disinterest,
not knowing where to start.
Reading poems about milkweed,
poppies,
or "a thing as lovely as a tree"
can fill the gaps,
or leave me empty
-for what I have missed,
what I will never know.
rs
Cannot match bird to song,
leaf to tree, petal to flower.
Too much learned at arm's length,
the secondhand story
that comes from the TV or movies.
Out among the birdsong
in all its seasons
I am confused,
out of my element,
feigning disinterest,
not knowing where to start.
Reading poems about milkweed,
poppies,
or "a thing as lovely as a tree"
can fill the gaps,
or leave me empty
-for what I have missed,
what I will never know.
rs