Hummingbirds

To My Mother: Mom, you’ve always loved hummingbirds. I remember the way you always marveled at them from windows, or would sit out on our porch just to watch them fly by. Ever since I can remember, we’ve had hummingbird feeders hanging around our house to attract them, and you would snap pictures of them as they drank. You loved watching them perch, and you marveled at their aerial prowess. You would laugh when they quarreled with each other, and I would laugh with you. Our refrigerator was always stocked with a fresh supply of nectar for them, and they loved you all the more for it. I remember how I managed to catch a hummingbird one time, and how you loved petting it and holding it as well. The look on your face was like that of a child with a gift she had always wanted, and I’ll never forget it.

So Mom, this poem is for you. It is to honor your love of the hummingbird, and your admiration of their beauty. It is also a celebration of the many fond memories I have of sitting outside with you, waiting for them to appear, and of all the talks we had with one another while we sat there. It brings me joy by sparking those memories, and I hope it will bring you joy as well.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds flit past

Tiny flying feathered jewels

Sipping sweet nectar