Shrouded Shore: The Many Musings of Thom Singleton

  Sunshine! It is dappled at first through the trees with leaves sparking-wet from days of rain. Then, as it tops the highest branches, a blaze unmatched in the heavens. Sunlight shimmers on the waters of the pond, still wavy from a mallard visit. An oriole, a small sun himself, displays his brilliant orange, as if to say, “I am the Sun Bird.” After hiding in sodden robes so long, Old Solius today is in his full glory.

  It’s Wild Outside Early morning sun reveals the wild outside… Hummingbirds Red wings Orioles Wood ducks Mallards And a big surprise On the deck, a turkey lies

  River of Air Currents course through green waves, Tree branches really, but swirl like plants in a river. Around a tree-formed headland, a backwind eddies, Riotous movement through the spruce. A duck lands in the green, unconcerned with the chill, Surrounded as he is with duck down warmth. Somehow a hummingbird negotiates the wind at the feeder. A yearling buck appears, wary of the crashing wind. A river through our yard. A river of air.

  Groups      If a group of rhinos is called a crash, what are these groups called? Of crows, a cacophony Of warblers, a symphony Of cards, a stack Of ribs, a rack Of rabbits, a hop Of gorillas, a bop Of elephants, a roar Of drill bits, a bore Of chipmunks, a scamper Of new parents, a pamper Of students, a classroom Of babies, a boom Of squirrels, a whirl Of hairdressers, a curl Of orioles, a blaze Of sloths, a laz Of mallards, a splash Of runners, a dash Of hippos, a ton Of hummingbirds, a hum Of attorneys, an argue Of beef, a barbecue Of jellyfish, a jar Of graffitiers, a mar Of hawks, a screech Of seagulls, a beach Of rats, a rabble Of pigeons, a babble Of big horns, a but Of mistakes, a rut Of giraffes a column Of hogs, a volume Of wolves, a rumble Of bees, a bumble Of worms, a wiggle Of kids, a giggle Of monkeys, a shine Of poems, a rhyme

  Sounds During Meditation Air in, air out… Breeze whispers Air in, air out Leaves rustle Air in, air out Turkey wings beat Air in, air out Doves coo Air in, air out Clouds collide Air in, air out One hand claps Air in, air out…

  Our Backyard Palette Eye of moon bird, the owl Green shadows of the forest Silent gray of clouds overhead Burnt orange sunrise Dazzle of sun bird, the oriole Flash and splash of the waterfall Jump and jitter of the red squirrel Metallic, blue-black head of the grackle Our mallard mates splashing off in the pond Scarlet cardinal The shining blue iris The white jewels of the budding blueberry bush Leafy-green clothes of the maple White snowballs of the hydrangea bush  Hammering red head of the woodpecker Black crows pouring from the sky like spilled ink Cow bird with its chocolate brown head A streak of jay blue Red wing of the otherwise black bird Seven-colored wood duck Largest bird with long neck, you-guessed-it, turkey Visual riches of the goldfinch You-guess-the-color of the invisibly beating wings of the hummingbird Today’s big surprise: three Canada goose families - total of 27 geese in the yard  

  Our Population Out Back Mallards and woodies Turkeys and hummers An oriole, a bit of the sun An owl, a bit of the moon Cardinals and blue jays A rare mountain bluebird Visual and auditory treats, all Today, a gathering of a thousand gray hairs Well, they look a bit like tiny old folks Really, our dandelions gone to seed What to do? It’s No Mow May My choice: mow or start-up a dandelion winery Think I’ll mow, and leave part for the pollinators