A couple of days ago, we watched a robin in the middle of the road readying a caterpillar for its meal...not the caterpillar's meal... the ROBIN'S meal OF caterpillar. I have to get better at the English language. It's the only language I speak, so there are no other options or excuses. Maybe I should learn French. I might be better at it, who knows?
I wish I'd gotten a picture of this incident though. It was cute in a kind of cruel way... but it was just nature's food chain thing:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Intent on a caterpillar crossing the road The robin ignores our car to do what he does
We wait a few feet away hoping no one comes
While he keeps a beady eye on the stretchy fuzz
- and we wait.
The robin sees nothing but his prey in his path
As he keenly keeps his focus pointed then - jab!
Curled caterpillar bounces and rolls like a ball
He plays with it like a cat with mouse until - stab!
- on the plate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cute image, huh? Okay, now for the short version:
Caterpillar crossin' -
Robin starts a'tossin'!
Caterpillar bounces -
Robin pecks and pounces!
Caterpillar's fate -
Robin's dinner plate!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's short and sweet..."Like a caterpillar!" declares Robin...
I wouldn't suggest French unless you just want to learn it as a written language. Written french and spoken French are very different, although the written doesn't fudge around with the rules at all. Neither does Spanish, and it's much more useful.
ReplyDeleteActually, in HS and college I studied French. Spanish wasn't even offered. Maine is heavily French in a few areas, so that has always been the "second language". It's been too many years since I've used it, having made a promise to my college professor never to try to teach it...and thus pass the class!
DeleteThink I'm kind of glad that you didn't get a picture! Ewww! But yes, all part of nature's food chain. I love seeing people's poetry process and it was fun to see both of these poems! And I agree with Andrew- Spanish is a lot more useful, at least here in Colorado!
ReplyDeleteIn Maine it's funny to see things written in Spanish or have operators ask about speaking in Spanish when Maine is mostly French and has been forever. I guess people don't realize that. Very few Spanish speakers here, but LOTS of French!
DeleteI like both of your poems, but the second version is my favorite. It has a certain Edward Lear feeling to it.
ReplyDeleteLots of French spoken in Maine? I had no idea. I took five years of French in school, (back in the Dark Ages) and was quite fluent at one time, but haven't had any cause to use it in more than forty-five years. Too bad I didn't study Spanish instead. LOTS of Spanish-speaking people in Georgia. Oh well. Hindsight is 20-20.
In the summer we get quite a few French Canadians vacationing here, and there are large numbers of French people in the Biddeford/Saco area, Lewiston/Auburn area, and many is Aroostook County, Maine. Not sure they could communicate in Paris with their version, though.
DeleteI try not to look at these as kind or cruel. Nature is supremely indifferent and interested only in herself. Try Italian if you want a second language... it is definitely the most musical, and I could help you on your journey :)
ReplyDeleteI try to keep my feelings out of it... should the bird die instead? It just is what it is. And that is why humans eat meat. We're just removed more from the process.
DeleteItalian? Hmmm, that would have to be online or dvd. But it is a beautiful sounding language!
I, too, like the second version the best. I can relate to this experience -- last week I interrupted a robin who was preparing to dine on a huge earthworm who had unfortunately found itself sidewalk-bound and very vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteOh, those silly sidewalk and driveway worms! I guess they really aren't equipped to observe what happens to other worms.
DeleteI love how you stopped and really looked at what was going on. I think it's really neither kind or cruel - it just is. Thank you for sharing this little episode that struck a chord in you. :)
ReplyDeleteI thank my mother for teaching me to look at little things in life and take delight in them. She was a keen observer and learner of EVERYTHING.
DeleteNature's cruel. I love your short version the best. It's fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rosalind. I like that one best too. After writing the first and getting it ready to post, I wasn't liking it much and thought, what if I tried to make it short and abrupt - fewest words possible to capture the incident?
DeleteEnjoyed the post - thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and dropping some crumbs!
DeleteI'm visiting Montreal right now and I definitely believe that French is present in Maine! I live in Maryland and there are a lot of French-speakers who work in my favorite grocery store, but they are from various parts of Africa.
ReplyDeleteI like both versions of your poem and can't pick a favorite!
I had (probably still have) relatives from Montreal. Went to Quebec for our honeymoon way, way back in the ancient days. Thought I could use some of my fairly recently learned French words there. Boy, was I wrong. Different French for the most part. I could read some of it though.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Hi Donna-this seems to be another example of your "seeing" new things, right? The robins are busy out our way too-guess they're getting ready to feed the babies! I like the second one too, the "dinner plate"!
ReplyDeleteYeah, these new eyes are great! I'm watching two red squirrels and a chipmunk racing around and chattering and being peeved with each other this morning. Cat's quite interested, too, watching from the sliding glass door. He can't get them, but they'd better quiet down before the owl hears them!
DeleteHow 'bout that? You got to watch a nature show without even turning on the TV! I love how you were able to "reduce" your first poem into the second.
ReplyDelete