Hello Poets,
I am likely packing a van or just on the road as you read this. Two out of my three college kiddos are headed to school this weekend. Wouldn't it be nice if they went to schools in relatively the same direction as the four-hour drive from home? Sigh.
Hamish and I teamed up to find a bird for Christie who is hosting our round-up today.
Thank you, Wondering and Wandering!
The bird we found is the oxpecker. I had never heard of this bird before and the name kinda made Hamish giggle.
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| Red Oxpecker. Botswana. Unsplash |
As it turns out there are two types of oxpecker in Africa, the Red Bill of the Sub-Saharan and western region (think Senegal to Botswana) and the Yellow Bill of the east (Ethiopia). It was really fun finding facts about these birds that eat the ticks, larvae, flies, and even blood from wounds on cattle and oxen that led to the poem below.
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| (c) Linda Mitchell. Na naga Jam! means hello. Inideti aderiki means good morning. |
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| Ox and Oxpecker collage by Linda August 21 |
Can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE that oxpecker poem. Hilarious and informative. Now I do believe I need an oxpecker to accompany on my woodsy walks. Thank you, Linda!!!!! -- Christie :-)
ReplyDeleteLinda, wow! You are busy. Two college children in different directions. Oh, my! And a third in college too? Yikes! I hope you had a happy birthday this week.
ReplyDeleteHamish's oxpecker friends outdid themselves this week. That poem for two voices is packed with fun, history, geography, drama. I would love to hear two students perform it for a class. Absolutely precious.
Linda, Hamish is busy this week and so are you. Good luck to your college goers and have a happy and safe trip. Did I hear there was a birthday this week? Happy belated wishes to you! I enjoyed your poem chuck filled with interesting facts and two voices-great job.
ReplyDeleteLinda,that collage!!! Beautiful placement of the oxpecker between Hamish's horns. I especially love the line about the ticks. :) There's an "Oxpecker Cleaning Service" poem in my collection DEAR WANDERING WILDEBEEST. Wishing your college kids well. xo
ReplyDeleteLinda, your poem in two voices is SO clever! I love the way you wove in so many facts about oxpeckers! And your collage is stunning! Hope you had a wonderful birthday, and good luck with all the moving this weekend!
ReplyDeleteEven in your busy days, Linda, you manage the utmost creativity! I love the poem connecting both birds, over the airwaves about ticks must be a first! And your collage is fabulous. Wishing your trips & goodbyes to be good and easy ones!
ReplyDeleteThis post is so interesting! "Nothin' better than ticks and larvae fresh off the ox." Love the photo. It reminds me a little of Kat's Bird in the Herd.
ReplyDeleteYour poem! Your collage! So. Much. Fun. And yes, do share a video of students performing it!!
ReplyDeleteYour poem is so fun! I can totally hear it with crackle of the CB radio. Your collage is awesome, too. All my best for carting kids back to college.
ReplyDeleteThe poem, the collage. I love them so much. Isn't it so much fun to research for your poems. I think I love it as much as writing.
ReplyDeleteHahaha--I love that roof of Africa line! So fun, Linda!
ReplyDeleteOh my GOSH, Linda - genius. Too, too fun and clever. Thanks for brightening our days! And best wishes to those college fledglings this year, flitting off in different directions. And of course, to YOU!
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative poem! Funnily enough, I've been writing about oxpeckers recently as part of an English learning curriculum. I love this fun conversational form that entertains and informs.
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool! My daughter and I have been having fun reading poems for two voices. Thanks for sharing and I hope your trips to to college were safe!
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