a pantoum
Under the eaves
a porch
on the porch
a chosen door
a porch
sanctuary
a chosen door
from the other side, I hear
sanctuary:
father finch feeding nesting mother
from the other side, I hear
a song of love
father finch feeding nesting mother
on the porch
a song of love
under the eaves
Short clip of my house finches, which return every spring to nest in my door wreath (the finches don’t know that I purposely put out the twiggy grapevine wreaths they like best). Crank the volume to hear their beautiful voices. You might even catch a glimpse of wings as the father flies off to fetch more food for the mother. He will feed her until their little blue eggs hatch and then they’ll both feed their babies. In listening, it’s easy to understand how “charm” became the collective noun for finches and why they are said to symbolize joy.
House finches have an interesting history. From the Audubon Field Guide:
“Adaptable, colorful, and cheery-voiced, House Finches are common from coast to coast today, familiar visitors to backyard feeders. Native to the Southwest, they are recent arrivals in the East. New York pet shop owners, who had been selling the finches illegally, released their birds in 1940 to escape prosecution; the finches survived, and began to colonize the New York suburbs. By 50 years later they had advanced halfway across the continent, meeting their western kin on the Great Plains.”
also this, from the House Finch Overview, Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
“House Finches feed their nestlings exclusively plant foods, a fairly rare occurrence in the bird world.”
These are things I have learned. I continue to learn the lessons of the finches as they fill my home and heart to overflowing with a rare, almost-otherworldly joy.
House Finch mosaic. wolfpix. CC BY-ND 2.0.
*******
with thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the monthlong Slice of Life Story Writing Challenge
lit bits and pieces 
WOW! First, I was taking in this poem pattern and how it worked so well, the repeating lines unfolding the story of your finches. Then a video and research, too! I loved learning with you today across all the different genres and formats. You showed me all the ways one can ‘write” so well!
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Thank you, Sally – here’s the pattern for repeating the lines in the pantoum (and the poem can be longer): 1234 2546 5768 7381. It’s one of my favorite forms to play with. Musical, like the finches. 🙂
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Beautiful , thank you for sharing.
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A beautiful poem to read on Sunday. A song of love – I like it.
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This is beautiful! Plus the video just clinches it. Excellent slice.
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Fran, this is such a cheerful way to begin the day – the songs of birds who toil not over what they wear or other stuff….they just live. And they are happy about it, too! I love how you always teach us about birds, like the vegetarian finch babies. I had no idea. Your pantoum is perfect to capture the protected feels of what goes on with them under the eaves. I also didn’t know that they like grapevine wreaths. I may have to find one – – our Hobby Lobby’s roof blew off during the tornadoes a month or so back, and that’s where I shopped for my wreaths. I think you’ve given me new motivation to want to change the one on my front door, which really would not appeal to any bird, I don’t think. Beautiful post today, and you inspire me to add more videos!
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Finches! I need to add them to my bird by bird list. Alas, there are 11 species of finches in New Jersey, and I have yet to seen one! I’m on the lookout! Thanks, Fran. This is wonderful.
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Your poem is lovely – so descriptive and so evocative of joy. The video is delightful, through the glass, and it complements your poem – but your words, as always, stand alone in their beauty. And then, the facts you shared to bring the reader knowledge and an understanding of finches! All together an incredible slice. But I find that all your writing is. Thank you.
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Thanks to the finches for another March appearance! You’ve made the pantoum sing their song!
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Loved listening and what a beautiful poem! Your finches feel like good friends who return to us each spring.
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They are 🙂
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That is the sweetest sound… a perfect song of love! do you know what the lifespan of finches is? Is this the same pair returning year after year?
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Not sure if it is the same pair of finches returning, although it’s likely. The only year they didn’t lay eggs was 2020, during COVID – so strange.The built a nest but it remained empty. I was so saddened. They’ve made up for it since! They live quite a few years – 11 or so, I’ve read.
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