Inspired by Nicole Callihan’s poem "The Origin of Birds"

For a moment, yesterday’s poem about a cleansing snow sufficed.

Before the snow, the one about the gentle brush of wind sufficed.

Before the one on the wind, the red-winged blackbird sufficed.

That bird and hearing his call in the brush for a moment sufficed.

Before the red-winged blackbird, the summer-sweet’s scent sufficed.

Breathing the perfumed air of summer’s green gallery sufficed.

Before the sultry summer scents, the other seasons surely sufficed.

All that the seasons evoke of transitions and bridges of time also sufficed.

But, before the seasons, the summer-sweet, the bird, wind, and snow, what sufficed?

Suffice it to say he could not hold on and was lost…so then nothing sufficed.

Loss begets loss just as light begets light. Then loss begetting light sufficed.

I one day found memories of moments in time…and they seemingly sufficed.

But, suffice it to say, those memories of moments alone could never have sufficed.

And, I then found a few words sufficiently strung, and words beget words unsung.

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ANDY PERRIN is a writer/photographer/cyclist/teacher from southern Rhode Island. Andy often explores the roads and trails near his home on one of his bikes. On occasion, while he is out exploring, he is moved to stop to take a photo of some inspirational thing. On the best days, the thoughts of the things photographed turn into words and become the subjects of his writing. You can follow his exploration on Twitter @aperrincycling.