Tiny But Mighty Hummingbird
Poetry by Jim Daubert
Hummingbird on hill’s thistle by Gary Eldred
Suddenly, I saw what looked like a gigantic Bumble Bee. Yet, its flight patterns convinced me this unique flyer wasn’t an insect. Its beautiful colors/movements suggested: “A Hummingbird”! Standing in awe, frozen in my tracks….. yet too far away to see her vibrant colors…..still amazed by her fancy flight patterns which delightfully captured me and held me in the present moment!
Like seeing the Northern Lights…..a sense of wonder engulfed me! Content, relaxed….. was truly appreciating this beautiful, inspiring bird sent by Mother Nature. These gorgeous godly birds bring us….. hope, love, beauty, joy and happiness!
Adroit with great flying skills, these birds can flap their wings from 50 to 120 times per second, go straight up/down, sideways and can even fly backwards! Their skills help protect them from predators. Predators include larger birds like the Bluejay, and other large birds, wasps and even domestic /feral cats. For protection, they nest in Cooper’s Hawk and goshawk neighborhoods Hawks chase away aggressive Bluejays.
Hummingbirds fly across the gulf of Mexico without stoping to winter in southern Mexico. One could put 8 Hummingbirds in an envelope and send them through the mail for the cost of just one postal stamp.
We are indebted to the hummingbird for their hard work in pollinating flowers/plants. Our food supply could be greatly diminished, if these endangered birds went extinct.
I now can better understand why our great writers and poets like Robert Frost (Poem: “A Prayer in Spring”, and Emily Dickinson (Poem: A Route of Evanescence) chose Hummingbirds as their subject. These small but powerful diplomats for Mother Nature captivate the mind and soul of millions!
Ruby throated hummingbird by Eric Preston
Painting of Western broad-tailed hummingbird by Jim Daubert
ACROSTIC HUMMING BIRD POETRY
Humming sounds from—rapidly moving wings
Underestimated talent, worth to humanity
Messenger of love, joy, good fortune
Miraculous flying patterns and skills
Intensely focused on pollinating plants and flowers
Nesting in unique quarters
Great addition to world’s beauty
Blissful searching for flowers/plants
Interesting, fascinating, pleasing
Rests little but effectively-enters a state of torpor
Demands much from wings (Moves wings 50-120 times per second)