Like a Tree in Which There Are Two Blackbirds

My apologies to Wallace Stevens. I probably quote from his poem Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird more often than any other author than or work except Shakespeare. But when I see blackbirds, grackles in this case, whatever it is they are doing fits into the poem. Mostly. In this case the stanzas that came to mind were:

Neither verse, nor any other suited these two exactly, but I was entranced by the two silhouettes in the mulberry tree in the morning light, and that round yellow eye, geometric among all the random shapes.

Eh, it’s not Wallace-worthy, but sincere nonetheless.

Grackles aren’t always known for beauty, but I find their sleek feathers and clear silhouette riveting against any background, and that perfectly round yellow eye set in the darkness like a gem feels like a message I should understand. And then they speak in their squeaky gate language. They are wonderful to watch. Other birds flit and hop and flutter, but grackles make a stand and make a statement.

Visit this link for the poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45236/thirteen-ways-of-looking-at-a-blackbird

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