by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Larger than the rest,
a hummingbird came
to show me
how strong he’s become.
He sat on an almond branch
next to the sprinkler
taking a morning bath.
Two weeks ago
we saw
a baby hummingbird
barely clinging
to the feeder
while others pushed
him to the ground.
Now,
in the morning light,
he’s come to show me
he’s ready to make
the great journey
across the Continental Divide,
south
towards South America.
fourwindowspress 
Beautiful and inspiring. The weak shall be made strong . . .
Thank you Martha. Love Ethel
I LOVE This!! I have been that baby hummingbird recently, and now return in new, stronger growth! God bless you–love, Caddo
Nice comment. Ethel
Lovely poem. we have found too that the birds know that we feed and take an extra interest in them, more than once we have seen the babies being lead out of their nest boxes ..as if to say here are the young one’s you have help to feed! I love nature! xxx
Thanks for this. love Ethel
Ethel, this is a lovely poem! It is such a blessing when creatures of nature include us in their lives – birds and animals especially have much gratitude towards those who appreciate and assist them. We can learn much from nature if we would only listen with loving hearts to their stories … I had this happen a long time ago with a fox who used to accompany me on painting trips into the woods near my home in Ontario. She kept her distance, but would always appear as I walked along the path with my painting gear – one spring I didn’t see her for awhile – until I was sitting in the woods, painting – and from the corner of my eye I watched her bring her kits close enough that I could see them very clearly. She sat and watched while they played for about a half hour, and then took them back ‘home’. I never saw them again after that, but I was truly blessed that day; she trusted me enough to let me see her babies …
This is lovely. Love Ethel
I love the triumph of this young hummingbird, Ethel – it inspires me!
I do too. Ethel
Ethel, I enjoyed this poem about a bird surviving and growing strong despite its unfavourable start in life.
It was a bird that seemed orphaned. Love Ethel
How simple and ‘straightforward’ and yet it reached right into my heart, Ethel. Granted, it is an emotional time for me right now, sorrow and joy all mixed up together, but this precious poem of making through feels very healing in its hopefulness.
Thank you for this. love Ethel
In the same spirit
Ethel’s beautiful poem
Expanded haiku