Written by Susan Lane SLCM Keeper of ColourMine
Birdbath: Searching for a birdbath is really easy when you find one you actually weren’t looking for and had no intention of getting on the day, but you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth when it appears.
Birdbath: We only went for a general look
My other half and me, to see what was in the store
We certainly weren’t looking for any kind of birdbath
That’s for sure
We found a fabulous one though it was nice, big and deep
Snuggled within the display of plants, climbers and trees
It had a bit of a wonky top but that was ok for me
Because it was big enough for lots of birds
To enjoy a drink after their greedy feed
The birds enjoyed it for so many years
Every blistering hot summer, blustery winters too,
When the cold northerly wind blew through
They not only had a drink, they also bathed in it too
They weren’t always that fussy and didn’t avoid it when
Temperatures dropped to 2
They invited all their mates to jump in and have a go
They had a pretty good time; it was like watching
All the local kids playing in the snow
There they were showing off
The swimming pool now was quite cool
I’m not sure any human would be such a fool
There they go enjoying their rave
That’s a good comparison too
All those humans had nothing on them
All fluttering, squawking, and shouting at each other too,
They all got out quick because it was starting to further cool
Didn’t want to be frozen like a fish on a fountain
Nope, that’d look silly
Then of course as time went by the birdbath that was,
Became weather-worn and spent
It had deteriorated so much
That it leaked, but that ornament was made of solid concrete
And therefore made a perfect planter, hehe.
But that didn’t stop the defeated look
Over the next few years even more cracks appeared
It was solid, and certainly built to last
But the good old British weather with fluctuating temperatures
Eventually, took it to task
Those poor birds were missing their penthouse bathing facility
It had been taken to be a planter, for something useless and pretty
Anyway, now the birds are thinking, “Oh my god,
The plants were too heavy and our nice big bath is in bits
Birdbath: It’s in pieces, on the deck, but . . .
Good fortune had shone here because the lady that be
Did provided us with that low-level monstrosity
Oh well, maybe we’ll have to go, use that big plastic one
It’s not so nice or anywhere near as high
But it’s got a fabulous up point on which we all agree
It’s massive, so much bigger. What the heck
Let’s party, then go sunbathe on that amazing deck
Made of slabs of concrete or maybe sit in a tree."
Whilst the lady watches me, preen and shake
The water droplets from me; I strut my stuff
She’s always watching; I think she’s keen on me, hehe.
© Susan Lane. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the author.
ColourMine poetry, and the original photographs, are completely authentic to myself, Susan Lane – no AI, no plagiarism, all checked and verified by copyleaks
Apologies for the emoji presentation – I tested several, but this was the only one that worked reliably on ColourMine. Just click the box next to the emoji and hit submit, and I’ll know if the poem resonated with you. Thank you for sharing your feelings.
More poems written by Susan Lane SLCM, and you can choose by category
Blog | Organic voice | A happy survival of triumph here
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