Spring Snow Publications

Writing with Insight and Inspiration

  • Spring Snow Publications
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Written by Dr. Terry Chitwood

Eyes of the Night

Feather Breath
Words Fly In

Starry Sky

Let all the words go.

They come from elsewhere

and long ago, are immigrants here.

They should return to their faraway homes.

They should fly up to city balconies

and preen there,

or land like a big shadow on the cornfield,

and pick among the stalks.

–Chase Twitchell

(The Wisdom Anthology of North American Buddhist Poetry edited by Andrew Schelling, p.336)

Words as Birds

This is the last stanza of her poem “Topiary Rooster.” Twitchell is a poet who has studied Buddhism.  Her poetic imagery depicting words as birds is noteworthy. Interestingly enough, before reading this poem, I wrote my last article “Words Fly In” using words-as-birds imagery. So before my words take wing and merge with the sunset, I want to listen to the song of these ancient immigrants.

Ancient Immigrants

Words are ancient. Scholars disagree on how or when language originated. Mythologically, divine language came before human language. Certain birds symbolize the divine in a number of world mythologies. In Egyptian mythology, the sky-god Horus was shown as falcon-headed. Out of his right eye shone the sun. Out of his left eye shone the moon.

The Horus myth inspired the following creation-myth poem:

Eyes of the Night

words as sunlight

fly from his right eye

words as moonlight

fly from his left eye

 

into the black sky

 

birthing stars

soft gold

bright silver

eyes of the night

Photo Credit: Photo by Danny Thompson at Flickr Creative Commons.

Related Posts

  • Psalms and Creative Writing: GracePsalms and Creative Writing: Grace
  • The Christian Writer: Weave Your Cloak of LightThe Christian Writer: Weave Your Cloak of Light
  • I am the WindI am the Wind
  • Psyche as PoetPsyche as Poet
  • The Stony PathThe Stony Path
  • Playful WordsPlayful Words
Feather Breath
Words Fly In

Filed Under: Poetry, Writing Tagged: Chase Twitchell, eyes of the night, poetry, wordes as birds, writing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This blog uses premium CommentLuv which allows you to put your keywords with your name if you have had 2 approved comments. Use your real name and then @ your keywords (maximum of 3)

August 16, 2012

connect with us

Follow Me on Facebook Follow Me on Twitter Follow Me on Google+ Follow Me on Pinterest Subscribe in a Reader

popular

  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Doorway between Worlds
  • 10 Fun Ways to Focus on Grammar
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Words into Dust
  • Psalms and Creative Writing: God as Healer
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Winds of Change
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Soften the Sun
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Out of the Night
  • Taoist Pearls, Wisdom for Writers: Sandpaper Wind
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Peace Flows In
  • The Sayings of Grey Whiskers, Cat Zen Master

Categories

Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework