Singing trees adorned with a ring of gold stand out in the spring woods. American Goldfinch choirs gather amidst bright green, unfurling leaves and fill the air with a continuous harmony. The males wear their brilliant yellow and black spring attire. Females are also in attendance, joining the musical festival to assess the males’ color, singing, and agility on the wing. The music begins with a few quiet voices, then quickly swells into a resounding chorus. The most elaborate, jaunty songs of the year pour forth from the finches, electrifying the landscape.
I love the thought that the more birdsong we hear, the more meaning our lives have. Thank you Bill for another wonderful piece; and thank you for including the video of the finch’s chorus!
Beautiful. And yes, I enjoyed the audio version first before rereading it with my cuppa. You started off tentatively but soon became immersed in the topic, which was wonderful. And what a terrific poem to end with. Well done. And Thanks so much.
Bill is trying a new thing ... audio! We have to iron out a few glitches (like the sound of me doing dishes in the background during this essay - sorry!) and need to figure out why the mic has a little hitch in its giddy-up. Stick with us, though. We will figure it out. And let us know if it's a nice add-on feature. At this point, we've done three. It's been a really interesting experience on this end as well. It turns out that reading a beautiful essay feels good!
Bill, your deep appreciation of birds and nature is one of my favorite things here at Substack. And I find the audios add to each post. As do the related poems and historical writings. Many thanks for what you do!
I love the thought that the more birdsong we hear, the more meaning our lives have. Thank you Bill for another wonderful piece; and thank you for including the video of the finch’s chorus!
Beautiful. And yes, I enjoyed the audio version first before rereading it with my cuppa. You started off tentatively but soon became immersed in the topic, which was wonderful. And what a terrific poem to end with. Well done. And Thanks so much.
Bill is trying a new thing ... audio! We have to iron out a few glitches (like the sound of me doing dishes in the background during this essay - sorry!) and need to figure out why the mic has a little hitch in its giddy-up. Stick with us, though. We will figure it out. And let us know if it's a nice add-on feature. At this point, we've done three. It's been a really interesting experience on this end as well. It turns out that reading a beautiful essay feels good!
Bill, your deep appreciation of birds and nature is one of my favorite things here at Substack. And I find the audios add to each post. As do the related poems and historical writings. Many thanks for what you do!