Fledgling Attachment

(Holiday Observations from the terraced heights. Die or fly, which was it)

When I was gone from Brixham
thoughts of mine would take flight,
gather speed and without the slightest
effort, wing their way back to the last
days of June.

I found myself focusing on a view,
five counties to the west of home, on
a weathered, weed ridden roof stack,
high in the terraced heights, looking down on an historic town.

There a pair of sea gulls had invested
their time, building a nest in a spot
between two of five chimney pots, caked
in guano, bleached white and baked hard
by sun's burn.

From a balcony I had watched two chicks
receive nurture, pitifully one fell out of bed to tumble helplessly into guttering.
The parents, all a flutter tried their best
to coax their fledgling back to the safety of its nest, to no avail.

When we left, the chick was frail,
his plight uncertain and I wondered
whether he would fly or die.
Succumb to starvation or exhaustion.

Three months later, I have returned.
No trace of gulls, while the recent heavy rain, has washed all that remained, complete with caked guano, clean away.
I came to the conclusion that finding a solution has reached a dead end.

Author's Note

The layout of this poem, has not appeared as I intended. Must be a gliche as I can't correct it. Sorry.

Reviews

[R.E. Ray]

Nature is beautiful and brutal, and cleanses it’s own. You’ve captured that so well here, Chris. And, how many of us want to save that fledgling from the gutter? It’s what we know and do, but it’s not how other species exist in the natural world. So, we’re left with dead ends that birds never see... or so it seems here. A beautiful but tragic story in poetic form. A true pleasure.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for this lovely review Robert. Truth be known, I am far too sentimental when it comes to nature's creatures. When I expressed to my family, weeks later my concern for the Brixham fledgling they just smiled and shook their heads. I appreciate your encouragement.

Chris

[R.E. Ray]

You're welcome, Chris. Always a pleasure to read your work.

[Neville]

that glitch didn't detract in the slightest from the clear message that underpins the main body of work you have placed here .. and so life goes on regardless .. Neville

[Chris Shaw]

I still can’t sort the glitch, but thank you for resurrecting this holiday memory. Fascinating watching those gull chicks. We so wanted to see them fly.

Chris .

[Neville]

Indeed, very sad .. but very true to life. Neville

[Jimmy Yetts]

Fly or die!
How that imperative so well captures the essence of our own lives.
Sadly, so many of us choose to "die" rather than risk lifting off.
A stunning poem which, besides spinning a touching baby gull tale, warns
against humans opting for a "life" of living death.
As always, high-level work, Chris!

[Chris Shaw]

Survival in all its harsh reality. Only the strongest make it. Great review Jimmy. Love where you went with my words. Thanks very much.

Chris

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I love to watch the seabirds and even the inland water birds like herons. Sometimes birds fall from the nest and can't be retrieved. It's a sad fact of life but often we humans lose our own children along the road of life and we are vastly more capable of the reaching out. I enjoyed the read. Bless.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Fabian. I appreciate your thoughts and visit. All good things.

Chris
read moreMany thanks Fabian. I appreciate your thoughts and visit. All good things.

Chris

[DIVYA]

So many fledglings are lost before life begins for them...No chances in this harsh, unrelenting world. Your sensitivity and caring comes through here in this beautifully descriptive poem, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you DIVYA, I think I am getting far too soft in my old age. It is hard to watch these scenarios without feeling moved. Same with wild life TV programmes:))

[DIVYA]

I totally understand Chris. It's very hard to watch, especially when young ones suffer. Any species on earth including the human kind.

[andrew mitchell]

The cruelty of nature only the strongest survive is very heart breaking. And survival is a day to day conquest and you really have to earn your spot or its taken. A lovely write on our world.

[Chris Shaw]

It's hard to watch. I find that David Attenborough's wild life programmes get more and more difficult to view as well, even though they are so educational. I have to sit there with a box of tissues :) Many thanks Andrew.

Chris

[andrew mitchell]

Our family doesn’t watch them now.

[Chris Shaw]

They can be brutal to watch and young children wouldn:t be having pleasant dreams, that's for sure after viewing.

[Mrudula Rani]

Survival of the fittest! It is hard to dismiss struggles of life that unfolds before our eyes . Your amazing depiction carries your readers through the emotions you meant in your poem. We witness and sense every step of this recital and ponder endlessly the issue, you leave your readers spellbound, dear Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

You are always so generous with your reviews Mrudula and I thank you warmly for that.

Chris

[barleygirl]

I love the sparkling innocence of your bubbling-over recitation of what happened before. It reminds me of how we often remember such an experience that "marks" a place, more than the actual place. It's like we re-imagine how it all went down & your way of doing this feels exactly how it happens in the subconscious mind. The reader is very wrapped up in this saga by the end. It feels like we are all hanging on any clue as to the outcome! I love a poem that ends on uncertainty. (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Margie. You wouldn't believe how many times my mind kept travelling back to those chimney pots when I had returned home. My family would just smile. I know they think I am batty at times with my sentimetal nature. Especially where nature is concerned.

Chris

[Shoshana]

Mentally giving Kudos on this. It was truly wonderful and I enjoyed reading it.
Nicely done.
-Shoshana
btw, i love the title. For some unknown reason, it seems ...familiar? I don't know. Thousands of applause for 'Fledgeling Attachment.'

[John the Baptist]

This offering relates one of those revelatory moments that abound in everyday life. Nature is unsentimental, and the chick's plight gained no relief. Months later, no trace of the epic struggle remained. Makes one wonder about the importance of our own temporary place in the scheme of things.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Shoshana. Pleased you enjoyed the read. All good wishes.

Chris

[CLR9]

Yup. This is us. Like when people jump in front of trains there's just blood and guts. Then dudes come out with hoses and clean it up like cleaning out a gutter. Happens all the time where I live. It's really just a train delay. Like how paul riser gets destroyed by the dumpster in one night at mcools and nobody cared. He was in other shows after that. Btw, do you know what happened to Helen Hunt?

[Chris Shaw]

Interesting perspective and I thank you for sharing your thoughts. Alas, I do not know Helen Hunt, maybe she hails from the USA? Good to have you visit.

Chris