The Orchestra of Birds

Beginning the day with beauty

Floating, floating on the edge of a dream, I found myself gliding into a symphony sung by the birds.

Rolling in with the tide of the morning, it poured over the the last hush of night. I didn’t even open my eyes, but rather just took delight in the moment.

Like the orchestra tuning its strings my winged friends started slowly, growing their chorus organically.

The finches were first, their chatter a burst of energy.

Were they admiring the glow of the dawn? Or discussing their hunger for the day?

I couldn’t say, but then the hawk joined in, riding the wind, screaming across the sky, waiting for the reply of his lady love, who was diving back down to earth, after gliding high on a draft of warm, rising air.

Then the mockingbird, inspired by the rest did his very best impersonation of the chickadees, chirping with glee, before rolling into a repertoire including the robins’ stacatto song along with the swoosh of the hummers’ tails.

I’ve heard him do a car alarm too — that mockingbird, but maybe he knew that dawn was not the time for that.

Soon, layers of song followed along, on no pre-determined course, rising and falling, one bird calling to another, until it reached a crescendo.

And then a moment of silence reigned.

Until the hummingbirds’s wings began to sing and their banter filled the air.

And I opened my eyes to let the dawn in, knowing that I was beginning my day with beauty.

I hope that you enjoyed sharing this morning moment with me.

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Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, neurophilosopher, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies). Erika is also an editor for Dharma Talk.

Poem and photos © Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.