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Nigel Morgan Jan 2013
This brown buff speckled throstle of a bird sits in the higher most branches of a yet to be leafed poplar tree . . . and sings. Such a song in the April morning air it greets the day, celebrates the rising sun. Above a suburban street the bird’s song catches the reverberation of a double row of houses, their windows bouncing sonic reflections of unaccompanied melismata.
 
Olivier Messiaen loved this bird for its répétition égale. Walking the mountain woods around his summer home he would wonder that the grive musicienne could make so exactly repetition after repetition of a complex phrase. A proto-minimalist perhaps? The male mistle thrush appears in several ***** works but most prominently in Saint Francois d'Assis singing luminously on the clarinet.
 
Although this is the ungregarious male singing away on this spring morning his name carries a female designation Turdus Philomelos. Poor Philomel, whose name means one who loved song, she was a princess of Athens lusted after by King Tereus who took her to a cottage in distant woods and ***** her. Then, he cut out her tongue.
 
Vengeful Philomel alone in the woods, but a most resourceful and artistic young woman, she set about weaving a tapestry that told all.
 
‘She set up a Tracian loom
And wove on a white fabric scarlet symbols
That told in detail what had happened to her
.’
 
She sent the finished piece to Tereus who promptly ordered Philomel's death and that of her sisters (one of whom he was married to). As the girls were about to be slain they were changed magically into three birds . .
 
Joanna Laurens play The Three Birds takes the only fragment we have of Sophocles telling of this strange tale. Laurens is both musician and linguist and the text is a marvel of strange sounds and rhythms as the sisters communicate with each other in their personal private language akin, it is said, to Jersiese, an ancient Breton dialect.
 
So thank you dear song thrush for this morning's wonder: a song *sans pariel.
David Bird Jun 2010
There was a young lady called Gristle,
Who once cleaned her *** with a thistle,
  It did not work well,
  And left quite a smell,
Which left her alone under mistle -
toe.
Don't ask. Just silly.
Michaela Ginter Dec 2011
Christmas Eve is in the air
smells like pine and i can hear
the reading of the lords prayer
though, no snow is upon the ground
it feels so joyous all around
with the scent of sugar cookies
and Winter Breaks game of Hooky
the presents lay under the tree
and the mistle toe hangs above you and me
love wraps us in a warm blanket
as the New Year approches in days, i can taste it
Tonight I shall hardly sleep
with the jidders of a childs feelings of Christmas Eve
the tiny belief of Santa Claus still dwindles
as the though of a fluffy man in a red suit kindles
as he will plop down my chimney with a bag
filled with hope and present swag
oh dear i can hardly wait
for the great Christmas that i anticipate
Lettie Hammond Dec 2012
Speckled breast,
Red berry clutched in your beak.
Mistle thrush on winter's frosty lawn.
I heard you sing two moons ago-
Storm thrush in a wind bowed tree top

In spring you came to the garden,
Fat, fluffed, child with your mother
Feasting then on hoards of leaf gorged caterpillars
Who'd rendered felty mullien leaves to shreds.
TC Apr 2013
Lecherous headdress snakeskin
**** whistle of a leer, tape thistles
To my beard, your breath is sweet
And heady but you never did
Like wine, twitch as if
You gave a **** about
That ambulance ride I took for you,
The scars taste of lilacs
And are still mine.

When they love you and they will,
Tell em all they’ll love in my shadow
Lest the kids not be alright
But they never are,
And you, you,
The most cowardly
Woman I’ve ever felled
Myself for, a mistle-toe
Oak ****** house
That you call home.
Stephanie Rosete Jan 2015
Soothing pain
Driven this untamed heart
Like a beast trying to break free
From my pain that is
Trapped restrained in a str8
Jacket
In the shadows of dark
Please God unleash me
From feeling pain
But the damage has been
Done numerous times
It's feels good and so
My addiction is pain
Please go away
Scattered words pumping
In my veins
Dopamine euphoria
Rushing adrenaline
Loving this foolish
Heart that you played me
And I'm now caught up in
This blissful feeling where ever
I walk I'm under a tree
Of mistle toes
Becoming this strange
Upsetting obsession
I hate you
For you are the one
Giving me an undying
Love which soothes my pain.:(
ShamusDeyo Dec 2014
The Ham is Roasting, and Revelers are Toasting,
To New Years and Old, as the soft Music is Playing,
Party goers Adorned with Finery and Pressed Suits
Glide over the Dance floor to Violins, Cello's and Flutes
Soft Waltzes to Dance,  Leads to Romance
Perfume Scent doing what its Meant...
Champagne toasts, Amid Soft Holiday lights
All Lead to Holiday Delights in the Night
Soft Lips so Red it Alarms, create Alluring Charms
The Mistle Toe Hung can't Be missed, When it leads to a Kiss
Soft Shoulders so Magic, as you glide across the Floor
A tender Kiss on her Neck, she's Breathless and Wanting more.
You feel so light on this Magical night, as you Grab her Wrap,
And hold the door, Snuggled up warm on the ride Home
And a soft and Tender Kiss at the Door...and, ends this Poem...
.........................................................­............................JMF 12/24/14
All the Work here is licensed under the Name
®SilverSilkenTongue and the © Property of J.Flack appy Holidays
Death-throws Dec 2015
Its good to see your tears are done,
Little kitten,
It hurts me when i see them run.
Ima little smitten,
By the way
Your eyes play
Throughout the day, All sleep, no pay.
Keep hidding behind my toes
(Trust me they'll keep you safe)
Keep bristling against my nose
Whiskers and bells and whistles.
Watching your heart fall like a mistle.
Wishing i put up with the gristle..
I hope you fly
And i hope you dont find out untill you try.
To be taken by surprise and see the world from the sky.
To look down from the clouds and see the sparkles in my eye
Katie Lynn Dec 2011
an orange guitar
and a bottle
of cheap Merlot
is a Saturday night

a mistle-toe scented candle
burns:
its flame
moves, jives
to the vibrations
of
Stevie Ray Vaughn.

quiet fall
creeps in
through the
cracked window--
the smell of fields,
of north carolina
air
write a christmas poem mention lots of snow
children with there presents  and there face a glow
mention mistle toe with lots of holly too
write about your family that will be there with you
put down lots of fun filled with lots of glee
not forgetting santa and the christmas tree
add these things things together to complete your rhyme
think about the happiness you get at christmas time
Maggie Sorbie Dec 2019
Was it a flock of starlings
or mistle thrushes
I saw murmuring for a moment
in the dark sky?

Realizing they were actually starlings
not mistle thrushes
I deleted them
from my mind

and watched as the starlings continued their orbit
to a warmer county
Mr Vampire Feb 2014
Young hearts
mold together under mistle arc
The beginning is always perfect
initial love always feels stark

As time progresses
and they lay in park
Just like the dogs around
they too begin to bark

To each other become weary
no longer holding that precious spark
They grow tired of each others company
and push their love into the dark
from your rage
take my words from your face
she pushed another baby today
ttthat poem tore off that childs ear
count my in the blood drops
hear as my teardrops echoe
rocks falling
closing
caves
she
is
my
mistle toed avalanche
in an dream she kisses me
in her thoughts she thinks
delete me
?



















...
..
.
delete some
delete all
tryn teach
your
words
to
crawl
...
(21st century pearly white prosthetics,
restored jaw bar wah key)

Aye noel hunger bristle,
and when false teeth soak at night
     in tandem with stubby ****** gristle
har reckon noah kisses

     far me under mistle
toe, which prickly stubble
     ma home grown thistle
the downside being, not one
     chic chick, foxy gal
     can I sound cat call whistle.

All those years I underwent
     orthodontic care for naught
cuz profound gum recession
     and bone dissolution
(advanced periodontal disease)

     found me fraught
with angst riddled necessity,
     whence dentures bought
and brought emotional relief,
     where financial cost to me equaled aught.

Though grievous o'er grandiose
     diet of baby food – reg gar agit
tay shun rubs raw rib bill bit
subject recently queried fit
ting lee (tummy eldest sister)
     now answered with true grit

sans state 'o me health
     of body, mind and spirit
yea...yea...with the following
     poe whet tics *** writ.

Ten re guard ding learn'n tuck
     cap cha current day coup page
with collage of words that best
attempt to convey how one feels
after half dozen teeth removed,

yes, that day of departure fur remaining
lower teeth transpired countless
months ago with gums sorely adjusted
dats da tooth full testament to grinning,
and bearing final surrender
of thine bottom choppers.

Twas not with glee this dear bro
did accept fate, and now twitters like crow
adjusting new sans parabolic learning curve
     to talk where speech
     formerly akin to blob of dough

being formless, yet with for
     rest full gumption resignation
to these extractions did flow
into mine psyche (with twinge
     of accursed displease), boot go

to the University of Pennsylvania
     Dental School and heave I've hen ***,
this scrivener and regular joe
tried to find silver lining ya noun owe
removal of upper teeth from those
less than five centimeters below.

Long since scheduled
     about four bajillion weeks
(in the past, and relegated tummy
     personal dustbin of history)

     i.e. aboot Bad Jillian deux fortnight
found yours truly unable to reef er
     to the skin of my teeth,
yea this circumstance
     doth null hunger **** n bit

'though once dentures fitted,
     thee psychological gloom
(per maxillofacial situation)
   with relief insurance
     picked up tab breathes
     sigh of relief all day'n height.

if hi ignored grim state
     of vital accessories to chew
this har chap experienced additional
molars, cuspids, canines...
     falling out though few
remained upon embarkation,
     per painful turn of events, grew
ling a smidgen less worse

     than getting tossed out hoo
chee coot chee mama into
     the freezing brutal cold
by none other than Donald Trump
     eskimo master of royal igloo,
while Sarah Ann aid ding howling winds
of n arctic monkey shape shifting
into polar vortex, wood dove probably
found me coo wing in deleterious
state of health thru and thru.

Other than the above
     Matthew Scott Harris feels great
well.... on the bright side -
     no need to brush nor floss,
when ma mouth opened ajar -
   bing permanently totally toothless -

     aye noel anger viz self hate,
hence nor feel inclined
     to master ventriloquism, boot
     axe hep oral void analogous
     newborn as innate
vis a visa discover ring
     joyus toothless state.
Alan McClure Jan 2020
I drew a picture
of a tree in winter
cold black branches
criss-crossed the white page

It made me sad
so I put it away
and forgot
I’d ever drawn it

That Spring
while looking for a pencil
I found the drawing
and gasped in shock

The tree had grown
white blossom
where tiny bees
could feed

And a robin sang
from its topmost branch.
“Impossible!” I thought,
hiding it away again

The idea of the tree
grew through the season.
By summer
I desired another look

A riot of green
hid the cold black branches
and sunlight burst
through every leaf

This time I hid it
with a secret smile,
let weeks pass
as I felt the magic working

Autumn came
my picture changed
branches heavy
with bright red berries

Mistle thrushes,
waxwings, blackbirds
beyond my skill as an artist
flapped and chattered on every branch

To keep them safe
I hid the picture
one more time
my perfect, living tree

Winter came -
I showed my children.
The cold black branches
did not make them sad

They could see
the coming colour,
the light, the joy, the sweet berries
and they climbed into the branches, laughing.
Arctic Skuas, fish wives beware,
       steal from birds, without a care
Blackbirds, fond of hedgerows hewn,
           known to whistle occasional tunes
Cuckoos. heralding spring sing loud,
            beware the cuckoo land cloud!
Doves, duck with a divers ease,
            traditionally symbolise beautiful peace
Eagles, immortal, courageous and bold,
            eagle-eyed, with a plumage of gold
Flycatchers, search flies in flight,
            swoop from perches, feeding mid-flight
Geese, possessing little wit,
            occasionally upon golden eggs do sit!
Herons, gangly and vexed,
             also known for having s-shaped necks
Insects, many a good feed,
             airborne fast food, eaten at speed
Jackdaws, inquisitive, kindred of Crow,
             steals through the skies, taking all aglow
Kingfishers, sapphire, red, and green,
             beautiful colours to be seen
Lapwings, loud shrills, and insincere,
             fly with egg-shell attached very near
Magpies, possessing magical mystique,
             sometimes portent of coming times bleak
Nightingales, mythologically Philomel,
             melodious midnight serenades, sang so well
Owls, emblems of Athens past,
              symbolic of wisdoms, of the stars
Partridges, particularly partial to pear trees,
              when braced, huntsmen to please
Quails, eggs delicacies held dear,
              causes Quails to tremble with fear
Robins, red-breasted, (with leaves they cover the dead), not Puckish, but good,
              loved like the folk hero Robin Hood
Starlings, amiable, keen for friendship,
              travel afar on migrational trips
Thrush also Throstle, fluent of tongues,
              mistle-toe food and christmassy songs
Uplands, Utopia for magical Merlins,
               loves high ground, gently unfurling
Vermian, for most birds, a succulent delight,
               eating worms, as part of their diet
Woodpeckers, like climbing trees,
               picking out insects, with utmost ease
X is for extinction, of various birds,
               preventative action, louder than words
Yellowhammers, cursed eggs destroyed,
               taken by men, collecting like boys
Zoos, offering sanctuary for endangered species,
               unfortunately caused by the human disease
lets have a country christmas sing a country song
have a christmas party dancing all night long
make your christmas merry make your christmas bright
really have a ball dance away the night

dance the night away friends and family
make your christmas merry full of christmas glee
hang the mistle toe and the holly to
sing a country song dance the whole night through

let the music play a good ole country song
with its country beat dancing all night long
celebrate together put dancing in your feet
dance the night away to a christmas country beat

— The End —