Today’s post is a poem I love, with a misty photo I took in early September, perfect for this time of year when the air is cooling and the birds are starting to dream of warmer skies. The birds are seabirds, not geese, but the shot brought to mind these words.
Atmospheric twilight at Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
Something told the wild geese
Something told the wild geese
It was time to go;
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, – ‘snow’.
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, – ‘frost’.
All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly –
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.
(If any observant bird spotters can identify the seabirds please comment below)
For more wild-inspired poems see or Poetry posts here.
WOW, this just nearly made me cry. My surname is Wildgoose and my brother died the beginning of October last year. Something told our wildgoose it was time to fly…
It’s a beautiful poem isn’t it, something soulful and melancholy yet uplifting. Sorry to hear about your brother. I hope this poem will always remind you of him from now on