Visual Verse has found another unusual image, this time by an unknown artist, from the Getty Open Content Program, which is the inspiration for a wide range of writing in the May 2020 issue, Vol. 7, Chapter 7. You can find my poem on page 35 or you can link directly to the poem, entitled ‘When the Jackdaws Clatter‘.
Linking to dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night.
That image must have been so hard to write to, but the thought of jackdaws stealing really made sense. Made me think of the thieving Magpie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWz_5V1k8D8
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I had to think really hard about it, but once I started it just happened!
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Jackdaws is just a delicious word; smaller than crows, but in the family–all of which are very inquisitive. We kept a magpie for a few months and it talked like a parrot.
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We have magpies in the garden. I’d love it if they talked to me.
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A very unique image and I love your title and background setting of your poem Kim. I am stumped by the visual challenge!
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Thank you, Grace!
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VisjualVerse looks like a cool site, although my poetic sensorium might often violate their strict writing parameters.
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Give it a go, Glenn! They’re not so strict.
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I like the method of using olive oil to catch the bird. She does seem to have lost a lot of hair in the image.
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Thanks Frank. I’d love to know why she doesn’t have much hair. Perhaps it was a style of the time.
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it’s an Indian child and direct relatives usually shave their head when there is a death … the eldest male for a year, the others just until the cremation. It’s a strong Hindu tradition and a common sight over there.
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Thank you, Kate, that’s interesting. I didn’t know where to look for an explanation of the image, and I never do that with VV’s images in order to keep it completely ekphrastic.
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I’m guessing the child could even be a boy, the wealthy families love jewellery …
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Surreal and macabre reflection of the photo. So very well done, Kim. Congratulations on being published in Visual Verse.
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Thank you, Lisa!
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You are welcome, Kim.
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What a challenge that visual is. And you’ve nailed it! Had not heard of jackdows….looked them up because of your write here. 🙂 I’m always learning at dVerse!
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Have you ever read ‘The Jackdaw of Rheims’ by Richard Harris Barham, from his Ingoldsby collection. We learned it at school. Jackdaws are European birds, I think. although there are Eurasian ones. They’re amazing birds from the corvid family but smaller than crows. Lots of folklore and legends connected to jackdaws.
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Good one, Kim…I’m impressed. That naughty jackdaw…poor girl needs a wig!
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Thanks Lynn!
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kaykuala
to lure and catch the avaricious bird
before she pecked the golden hair clip
Playing hide and seek with a lively bird can be quite daunting!
Hank
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🙂
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Jackdaws sound like our Blue Jays or crows! What a wild ending to your poem. Maybe that is what happened to all my hair!!
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🙂
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an interesting take, an Indian poet wrote of Prince Siddhartha’s early life … but yours adds another dimension. The jackdaw is also new to me 🙂
Do Visual Verse post all the entries? It’s a challenge that interests me …
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They usually post the image for the month on the first day of every month. They have a daily prompt on Instagram too, They usually post about 100, so it’s a good idea to get in quick. They give you an hour to write between 50 and 500 words of poetry or prose.
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I write most of my poems in 15-20 minutes and don’t usually edit so that would be fine with me. Not on instagram so may try the monthly one, thanks!
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You’re welcome, Kate – see you there!
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Calmkate’s observation about the Hindu ritual of shaving the heads of children after a death got in my head as I re-read. The songs of swans are ones of bereavement following the loss of a life-long mate … That deep sense of isolation harrowed a sense of death in your poem, a person plucked bare of hair and adornment. Made for an exceptionally poignant take. Whatever your intent, good job – Brendan
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Cheers Brendan.
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A wonderful response. I managed to put Crow into mine…the image does somehow want birds. (K)
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I enjoyed your poem, Kerfe. I also spotted a piece by Jane Dougherty and a poem by Frank Hubeny.
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Yes…we are well represented!
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Gosh, well done you! I drew a complete blank on that image.
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Thank you, Misky!
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Fun original take on this picture. I like the distraction with olive oil – birds love fat- what a great idea. To me the portrait looks very Roman (the olive oil fit right in!). There are lots of interesting ideas about hair – consider Samson and Medusa. Hindus shave heads for several reasons for example a baby’s first haircut is part of a religious rite, with an accompanying celebration.
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Thank you, Christine.
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Well done, Kim. Impressive!
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Thank you, Ayala!
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A very imaginative take off from a most interesting image.
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Thank you, Steve.
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