A sash of clouds lies low along the ridge,
and the valley blurs with rain. An abacus
of starlings perch on telephone lines
adding and subtracting. Suddenly
they lift — a peppered swirl
dipping left, then right — a torrent
of wings against the opaque sky.
– Sarah Russell
photo courtesy of kidshouldseethis.com
The quadrille at dVerse has the word pepper as a prompt. Come join the fun.
Sarah Russell Poetry 
Wow! Starlings do resemble black pepper thrown into the sky! Perfect imagery, Sarah!
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Thanks, Kim.
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This is such a perfect depiction of starlings. The shape they’ve made looks like a whale!
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Such a phenomenon of nature. I’ve only seen them a few times — once while we were driving I-70 in Kansas, where they put on a show for ten minutes before going out of sight. Amazing!
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Such incredible imagery here, Sarah!❤️
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Thank you, Sanaa.
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Just so love this – creates great images and love the ‘adding and subtracting’ aspect.
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Thanks, Paul.
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Love the movement and imaginative image of the abacus as starling roost
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Thanks, Laura.
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I have never seen them except in YouTube videos, but they are impressive and they do look like pepper in the sky.
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They really are a phenomenon. I read that a starling in flight affects the 7 closest birds to it, so as a flock they are able to change course to be with their fellows almost instantaneously — a kind of magnet effect. That’s what produces the wave. Knowing the science adds sometimes to the poetry, although it can weigh it down as well. Fine line…
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Love your “abacus of starlings” adding and subtracting!
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Thank you, Lynn.
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This is brilliant! I loved the poem as a whole but especially the abacus of birds on the wire, adding and subtracting.
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The image struck me on a walk one day. Love it when that happens. Seems all too seldom…
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Yes, exactly! Not starlings here, but the image and the moment is often exactly as you sculpted it.
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Oooo, sculpted. What a great compliment, Charley. Thanks!
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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At the “abacus of starlings on the phone line” I wanted to stand and applaud! What a great analogy!
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High praise, Bev. Thanks so much!
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An abacus of starlings — brilliant. This is a stunning quadrille!
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Thanks so much, Lillian. And I’ve been meaning to tell you that every time I go to your site, that fabulous picture of your feet on the beach just takes me to the nearest ocean. Such a relaxing greeting.
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I just wish I could ever see such a spectacle… and murmuration is a perfect word
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I love the word too, Bjorn. And although when they are in the trees, it really sounds like murmuring, I think the only true meaning is when they are flying. If they are in the trees, it’s just a flock. Go figure…
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I would love see such dazzling murmuration ~ Love this part:
they lift — a peppered swirl
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Thanks, Grace. I am always awestruck even when I watch videos of them in flight.
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Sarah, what can I say about this more than I wish I had written it. To me, it shows you have the perceptive eye of a poet. I love this part so much:
An abacus
of starlings perch on telephone lines
adding and subtracting.
So on point.
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Thanks so much, Victoria. High praise!
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gorgeous description of weather and rain. lovely write.
http://www.warningthestars.com
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Thank you, Stacy Lynn.
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