I heard in birdsong from the trees
Sweet singers are invisible
they sang temptations to be free
How could they? it’s unfeasible
Sweet singers are invisible
They tempt us to stay home today
How could they? it’s unfeasible
their tune will lead me far astray
They tempt us to stay home today
enjoy each other’s company
their tune will lead me far astray
I’d rather go to Tuscany
Enjoy each other’s company
we have our duties somewhere else
I’d rather go to Tuscany
as singer’s talk about our health
We have our duties somewhere else
in melodies I linger long
as singer’s talk about our health
and what we’re doing might be wrong
In melodies I linger long
they sang temptations to be free
and what we’re doing might be wrong
I heard in birdsong from the trees ..
Birch trees in Autumn by Frederic Edwin Church
Going through the old Form for all I wanted to do a Pantoum today. I will link up to dVerse Open Link Night, come and join us at 9 PM CET or later.
Björn Rudbergs writings 
There are always such temptations, I think. We listen to them, but often our obligations prevent us from heeding their call. But we can’t help but yearn, nonetheless, to have that freedom to follow that persistent birdcall to “Tuscany.” If only……
Indeed.. and it’s fun to catch up with the old FFA 🙂
ha. i def understand this tension. i would love to have a day off honestly just to be and do—cough, cough…i may feel a cold coming on….ha…the balance between expectation and desire…its not an easy one…and one i get out of balance…
Yes .. and the lure of the birds in the trees 🙂 Never easy
ah yes, birdsong, after a rain, heralding a rainbow, always with us as we walk in the woods, or the park. God, how terrible if they were suddenly gone; like in THE SILENT SPRING. My favorite are the night birds, the hunters, the sentinels. Really like how you take the FFA parameters and freshen it with Scandinavian charm.
I really go though those old ones that I never did — before I joined dVerse
excellent form, flawless read aloud. birdsong can stop me in my tracks every time… bright, convincing, confident. –much like this poem!
Thank you… my explorations into forms brought me there…
So refreshing and your work always catches my attention for how you embrace your words with great images and inspire us all.
🙂
P.S If you get a chance check out my new poem. 🙂
I will – a long session planned 😉
ah i’d love to go to tuscany as well…sometimes i just feel the need to get away…that’s why i booked a flight to nice…ha… off time.. we all need it from time to time
Indeed… myself I’m going to Helsinki with friends… not so much sun… but a great time
Lovely pantoum Bjorn ~ I wish I can stay home and listen to the birdsongs ~ Listening to temptations though is another story as it might lead us astray ~ You are a natural with forms 🙂
Thank you.. I try them out, and dVerse is a wonderful library to test in.. I will continue my explorations.
a wonderful weaving of words and tempting thoughts.
Thank you.. I enjoy trying out these forms
Lovely poem..so good to get away but life is always calling 🙂
It is .. I would love to…
I want to go to Tuscany! I would enjoy watching birds in trees there…;) Very cool form.
Recycling the old FFA is a good advice… I love that.
In awe not only of your beautiful words but your form. I stopped reading half way through. Brain jam. The rhythm is amazing.
Or Brain iambs ?? 🙂
Wonderful poem! It is amazing when read aloud, so lyrical with such a smooth flow.
Love iambs… it’s like laying a puzzle…
Bjorn, you are the master of FFA! I love this, and it is so wistful.
Ha.. love my iambs.. must get out of them sometimes too.
hard to resist those sweet freedom songs… come to think of it, duty isn’t something I’ve ever heard birds sing – perhaps they know something we don’t? 😉
I admire your considerable skill with form poems, Björn
I heard that birds usually sings anger and hate… it just sounds nice.. good we don’t understand it.
Well, who knew?! Sounds like me cursing at my email. I hope any bird that overhears might think it’s lyrical.
Hard to resist this poem, it is the birdsong, bringing out the temptation to run off and play. Which is what I a doing.
Ah.. do so… birdsong is wonderful
true power is doing what you need to do, when you’re really in the mood to do what you want… oh how I struggle with that!!! heheh great write man…
that is a power I lack… or I resist that temptation..
I like this form and I love how it really wove your story to its crescendo at the end
Love the flow and that birdsong is such a draw.
I’d follow birdsong anywhere…especially if it leads to Tuscany! Beautiful flow Bjorn.
Nice feel here. Reflective and peaceful. I love the line “I’d rather go to Tuscany” This will be my personal theme for the week.
Wonderful use of the form, the season and the suggestion to stay home and enjoy. Our birds are heading south now. When I tried to walk the dogs, the winds about blew me over.
In 1996, I retired, except for my violin work. NEVER have I enjoyed more my days, nights, and the freedom to come and go, and DO what I wished–more or less, HA! Might add also, never have I been so short of time to get it all in during 24 hour period.
At age 80, when people ask, “How are you?”
my response is…”Good enough!”
BTW, thanks for writing about one of my “favorite things” Birds and their Songs! I “talk” with them, and sometimes I actually believe I receive a response! Who knows?
Good job sneaking those lines in each verse as near repeating, that must be called some kind of form…
oh the sweet wisdom to hear in birdsong..how pleasant to stay home and enjoy..love this form ..enjoyed your poem..thanks for sharing..
Temptation…. Invisible…. Then the trip to Tuscany! The grip is awesome! Maybe we journey together! *smiles
It is not such a bad thing to bust the shackles of practical considerations, and for a day or two or forever, follow your whimsy . . . and be free.
I heard the birds, heard their songs. Seems to me they sing a nice tune.
Cheers!
One of my favorite forms of poetry has always been the pantoum. So hard to write, but when done well they are amazing! I loved this poem!! The lines “Enjoy each other’s company/ we have our duties somewhere else” say so much! 🙂
In melodies I linger long..love the song of birds..lucky for me I have a bird and she loves to sing her songs..would be nice not to have to go
to work..
I quite like this. The form is well-suited to the musing circles of the narrator’s thoughts, and to the echoes and cycles of birdsongs. The use of “Tuscany” is interesting, suddenly shifting the timelessness of the poem and generality of birdsong (as opposed to, say, naming sparrows or some other bird) over toward a concrete contemporary desire.
Bravo! This is absolutely wonderful Bjorn! Love the bird song.
An excellent pantoum, Bjorn! The flow and message painted a hearty picture! You had us at birdsong!
It’s always a pleasure to be mesmerized by bird-songs. A great pantoum. It’s somewhat cascading in certain ways. Nicely Bjorn!
Hank
I love the Pantoum; an affective method of imprinting an artful depiction and conceptual shape in the reading. all the best Bjorn 🙂
Bjorn, that last comment about birdsong telling you it might be wrong… loved this. I’m not a big fan of Pantoum, because most folks don’t think of interesting lines, but this hummed along so beautifully.
Thanks for stopping by Sharp Li’l, too. You’re a pal, and a very talented one, at that! Amy
You had me at Tuscany my friend and also the rhythm as I danced to your words.
Nice form Björn…. Wish I had that kind of patience……
Bjorn, this is lovely–a beautiful, lyrical utilization of the pantoum form (a difficult one, to be sure). Very nice.
I adore the structure of this, and you maintained the point seamlessly.
This is so hypnotic! I absolutely love it.
I think I would almost always rather be in Tuscany than most places I can think of. I say that not having been to Tuscany in many years, but my image of it is very strong! This was a cool combination of different factors, Bjorn, a little bit fantastical, but that goes with the imagination. Thanks. It is a wonderful form. k.
A really beautiful poem, Bjorn. I want to go to Tuscany myself, in fact I wouldn’t mind going right this very minute.
Pamela
Birds have been around long enough to have all the answers. 🙂 Particularly gay birds..odd birds..whatever…:)2