Marjorie Pezzoli: Peacock and Poetic Moments

Marjorie Pezzoli is a silk painter for 25+ years, a page poet who will pick up a microphone at various San Diego open mics. Her writings deal with grief, hope, cosmic wonders, and stuff that catches her eye. She looks for words that are worth 1000 images. www.Pezzoliart.com

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Peacock Delights

Peacocks have lived about a mile from our house for over 20 years. 

When the world became still during the lockdown they made it over the hill to our street.

They keep coming back for the bird seed on our front patio, or to hunt for grubs in the garden mulch.

Over the last three years we have witnessed peacock “dates”. I have been notified that more bird seed was required by honks outside the front door. Discovered red Spanish peanuts are the favorite of Mr. “One Feather”. For a while he only had one eye feather. They grow new ones each year.

One day a peacock practiced his mating dance in the driveway. Those fully fanned feathers shimmered and shaked, the low frequency sound was otherworldly. Such a mesmerizing experience.

More than amazing to watch them fly!

I take great delight in each gifted feather, especially the little blue or iridescent green tipped ones. My collection now contains each type of feather due to this year’s visitor preening.

These glorious birds never cease to amaze me with their beautiful colors. Little known fact, they sound like typewriters while eating larger seeds or nuts.

It is fun to think of them as messengers or colorful earth angels who spread joy. On my hard day they make me smile. No wonder, a peacock feather is a symbol of rebirth and hope. Also considered a sign of good luck.

Could it be possible that this bird is my spirit animal, hard to say. They definitely lift my mood.

It always feels like the peacocks bring a bit of magic to our front door.

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How it all began - with sugar, my husband would make hummingbird nectar. He wanted to take care of other species is how the bird seed pile on the front patio came to be. Cracked corn was added for the bunnies, they finally stopped eating our succulents by adding water stations. 

It actually amazed me to see the plants along the path respond to their nibbling. The plants grew longer stalks to help be out of the “rabbit zone”. 

Nature is so resourceful, resilient, and magical.

A constant reminder on how to be.

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Sweet Beginnings

it all started with sugar

nectar carefully 

made for the hummers

by my love just right

one station

turned into four

then seven 

sweetness out back

sweetness out front

antics of orioles 

who compete for sweet sips

helped to wipe away my tears 

40 lb bag 

of bird seed

added to the menu

confetti mixture 

millet, sunflower seeds

with bits of red milo

mourning doves, sparrows 

scaly breasted munia

cowbirds, and grosbeak

fly down for a meal

peacocks 

peahens 

make it a date

let me know 

if the seed 

is put out late 

side by side thicks rows

of delish delights

one cottontail

two cottontails

sometimes three 

along with a bunch of birds

show up at our door

expect breakfast, lunch, and dinner

silly rabbits sit 

on cracked corn

guard their feed

childhood dreams come true

to live on bunny hill

where hummingbirds buzz

flocks gather out front and back

 

to view them from the upstairs window

makes me feel like Snow White 

all because of the elixir 

my love made

sweetness

to balance out the sorrow

and to think it all started with sugar

 

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Setu, January 2024