Starbucks

 

Featured image: Blackbird

Each morning, I walk into the woods and put seed out for the finches, blackbirds, and blue jays. Everything else disappears in the winter. Oh, some people get cardinals, but I don’t seem to. I’ve tried everything—their favorite food, calling them—but nothing seems to work.

Anyway, each morning, I walk into the woods and put seed out. About 50 finches gather at the table. Later, around 20 blackbirds arrive to eat the peanuts. I always marvel at the majestic beauty of their regal black, blue, and purple feathers—such a marvelous mix of colors.

Many confuse ravens with blackbirds, and both are often associated with Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven. This haunting poem tells the story of a mysterious raven that visits a grieving narrator, repeating the word Nevermore.

Plot:
A distraught young man is visited by a raven that perches on a bust above his chamber door. The bird, named Nevermore, antagonizes the narrator by endlessly repeating its name.

Style:
The poem is known for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. Poe incorporates references to folklore, mythology, religion, and classical literature, enhancing the eerie mood.

It is a beautiful poem about a beautiful bird.

But I digress.

I’ve been thinking—when those 20 or so blackbirds arrive at the platform feeder, I should put up a sign that says Starbucks. After all, this is where they gather for their morning coffee! It’s a hoot watching them. Some come early, bobbing around and waiting for the others. The rest meander in, and when they all gather, they honestly seem to share.