Grey Sky Rain

Posted on October 1, 2018 by

32 Comments

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Today is overcast with sporadic rain showers. I wished for rain on my birthday and here it is. Unusual for Arizona.
While running an errand, I look up into the slate sky and I see them. Flying above the neighborhood community whose cruel nickname is Seizure (Leisure) World.

Vultures, spinning in a hypnotic pirouette; spiraling from low on the horizon to a mile high. Twirling to the waltz of the dead. I’ve seen vultures before, but never like this. As if they have their own melancholic harpsichord to guide them.
 
I ponder on the one who died. What took them? What was so special about this person that caused the vultures to react in this manner?
 
My own mortality slithers across my heart; I shudder.

black wings on ash sky

omen of imminent death

dancing to heaven

©2018 Linda Lee Lyberg

Category: PoetryTags: , ,

32 Comments on “Grey Sky Rain”

  2. You had me at /twirling to the waltz of the dead/;really cool and dark haibun. Too many omens these days to remind me of my mortality. Here in the NW, I just don’t want to wake up hearing an owl calling my name.

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  5. Great!! Vultures in a pack, and that reminding us of our own mortality. “Twirling to the waltz of the dead“ is terrific, but I like mortality slithering across your heart too!

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  6. Perhaps Edger Allen Poe had it wrong. He should have used the vulture instead of the raven! You wove an interesting tale of animals, death and mortality! Very nice.

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  7. A nice creepy haibun. Although, vultures have their jobs to do, eating carrion, which is the only way they can digest protein. I liked the “twirling to the waltz of the dead”. An excellent haibun.

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  8. how blessed to have your wish come true for your birthday – many happy returns Linda. “My own mortality slithers across my heart; I shudder.” – nature gives us such awareness, you captured this scene so well

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  11. I enjoy spotting birds of prey but I would find vultures very creepy. I love the starkness of the image and your imagery, Linda, especially ‘Twirling to the waltz of the dead’ and the ‘melancholic harpsichord to guide them’ I also like the way the sight of the vultures prompts your own mortality to slither across your heart;

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      • Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly love vultures. They are the most graceful of fliers and kind of funny on the ground, if we can ignore their line of work. I’ve written about them before, but never so eloquently as you!

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      • Your secret is safe with me. My daughter and I were exchanging emails about what I saw. She’s a birder and photographer. Apparently, they were kettling. It was beautiful and amazing.

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