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The rain is pouring, no, the rain is lashing out at the earth. It is gray, forceful, and mean. Its’ only objective is to saturate all it contacts, it shows no mercy for anyone or anything. The wind it brings with it is equally mean and relentless. Yet the persistent blue jay will not be defeated.
The numerous bird feeders we have gyrate in the storm like dancers in an adult show. They spin and sway in the wind; not gracefully like a ballet, but bawdy like triple X performers in the act of stripping. Their performance goes on regardless of whether anyone is watching the show or not. The blue jay watches though from a front row seat.
He is an irritating bird. He is loud and obnoxious; the stud at every party that needs to be noticed. His attempts at making friends are pathetic; he is pushy and rude. The gentler, well mannered birds fly away from him and congregate in groups that are an obvious exclusion of him. Until today, I have been in agreement with the majority; he is not a bird I wanted around.
As the storm drives on, he will not be defeated. He sits on the condo feeder, seeking shelter from the sheets of rain driven by the wind. His normal chest of puffed up blue is a matted mess. He huddles under the roof not like the alpha male he pretends to be, but like a man without a home. Does he have no one or place to go to?
Is he not unlike the veterans of wars huddled in their card board boxes, men who deserve a home and respect they don’t get? Has he forged the way somehow, for those seemingly kinder gentler birds who now shun him? I now wonder if his pretentiousness is an act to cover the hurt of being rejected.
As I sit in my dry living room, I have a new respect for this bird. He is strong, willing to brave this miserable day, when the rest of his kind are hiding in safer places. I also have sympathy for him, alone and cold, when others have the warmth of a home and family. Today, Mr. Blue Jay, you have earned the right to be Cock of the Walk.
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This made me smile with pleasure as I read it, which is certainly something you want to hear. I kept wondering if you'd go too far in personifying the storm, the bird, the bird feeders or if you'd drop in one simile too many, but, no, you just kept control.
ReplyDeleteThe 'just' is important. It's easy to keep control if you don't try anything When you head for the top, you risk going over the top (or over the edge) and it's a brave and enthusiastic writer who will dare and risk. You do here, and it pays off because, in my judgment, all the effects you work in do, in fact, work.
Can I use this as a sample week 1 piece in the future? Would you like to try it for the Eyrie?
Thank you and yes on both counts. I would be flattered.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to drop it into my drafts folder for 262. Here's where you can find the Eyrie cover: http://hoganroad.blogspot.com/2010/01/eyrie.html
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