The Orioles have flown,
taken their questions and fluted melodies
to a place where the dry heat still throbs.
Funny to think of them among elephants,
their bright yellow and black savannah striped.
Do they ask the same questions there?
It’s a long way to East Africa, almost as far as next summer.
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I googled oriole because I’ve never heard of them until now. They are beautiful as is your poem x
Thank you! I’d never seen one till I came here. They have a lovely song, but I haven’t heard one for a few days now. They leave at the beginning of August.
We have orioles here, too–though they’re not birds I see. I like the thought of them asking the same–or different–questions as they travel to a new place. They probably need to ask where the best place to eat is and things like that. 😀
It seems that there are lots of different kinds of orioles. Ours is the golden oriole and for all it’s highly coloured like a tropical bird, it’s rare we see them. They stick to the tree tops. Apparently the female builds the nest alone while the male sings to her! I hope she appreciates the encouragement 🙂
I hope so, too! 😀
🙂
We have orioles here in Mexico as well. I live on Lake Chapala, close to Guadalajara.
Is yours the one called Audubon’s oriole? With a black head? Ours are yellower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_golden_oriole
I love your description of the oriole’s song. You never take the easy way out but always come up with unique images..
Thank you! The song sounds like the notes of a flute so I can’t think of it any other way now, and ever since husband claimed he could tell what the orioles were saying, I listen for words in the notes too 🙂
Yes.. there are birds that seem to be saying things to me, too. I still distinctly remember the South Dakota Meadowlark’s song–distinctive from any I’ve heard on any internet sites.
I think all birdsong has regional variations. Just like we do 🙂
It really does. Insects, too. Our Cicadas are unlike any I’ve heard elsewhere.
Not to mention the birds that ‘customise’ their calls. We have a pair of crows that bully the buzzards; Just the buzzards (in Europe they are big hawks not vultures). And I know when they’re going it because they have a special buzzard-bullying cry that sounds more like a quack. Funny.