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A Back-Garden Love Story

Day 7.

🌳🕊

"A Back-Garden Love Story" is a poem dedicated to a pair of woodpigeons I observed over the course of eleven days. I watched them court one another on the branches, huddle together while cooing, call out when apart, defend their partner against magpies and jackdaws, tirelessly gather twigs, and rest beneath the tree. The pair displayed remarkable teamwork, moving in a clockwise pattern, and possessed the intelligence to build their nest in a safe location.

『裏庭のラブストーリー』は、私が11日間にわたって観察した一羽の鳩のつがいに捧げた詩です。彼らが枝の上で求愛し、鳴き声を交わしながら身を寄せ合い、離れているときには互いを呼び合い、カササギやコクマルガラスからパートナーを守り、休むことなく小枝を集め、木の下で休息する姿を目にしました。そのつがいは時計回りに動くという見事な連携を見せ、安全な場所に巣を作る賢さを備えていました。

🌳🕊

A Back-Garden Love Story 

Inside the canopy of
An apple tree
A dappled light
Filters through the leaves

Her soft grey feathers
With a subtle pink
And iridescent white bars
Camouflage her body

From her newly built nest
Her much deeper
Purring call
Weaves rhythmic tunes

Her devoted partner
Answers the call
A melody shared by two
Deepening the bond

© 2026 Michie Lyne 

🌳🕊

裏庭のラブストーリー

リンゴの木の
梢の下で
木漏れ日が
葉の間から降り注ぐ

淡いピンクと
玉虫色に輝く白い帯をまじえた
柔らかな灰色の羽が
彼女の体を優しく隠す

作りたての巣から
彼女の、より深く響く
ゴロゴロという鳴き声が
リズミカルな調べを紡ぎ出す

献身的なパートナーが
その声に応える
二人が分かち合うメロディーが
絆をいっそう深めていく

© 2026 Michie Lyne 

🌳🕊

Original pastel drawing by Michie Lyne, depicting a nesting female wood pigeon on the apple tree.
A Nesting Female Wood Pigeon, pastel drawing by Michie Lyne, 2026


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Location: Somerset, UK

Comments

  1. Linda's Relaxing LairJuly 29, 2026 at 8:48 PM

    Such a beautfiul image and lovely poem! Thank you so much for sharing! I also wish to thank you so much for your visit and kind comment on my blog! I really appreciate this. I post on Mondays and Wednesdays.
    I absolutely love the name of your blog...Mercy Cat Meadows! It is fantastic! I hope you are having a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mercy Cat August 5, 2026 at 9:15 PM

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed the poem and it means a lot that you like the blog name, too "Mercy Cat Meadows".🐈
      ​I really enjoyed visiting your blog. I've noted down your posting schedule (Mondays and Wednesdays) so I can make sure to stop by and check out your updates.
      ​Wishing you a wonderful week and I look forward to reading more of your work soon. 🐱

      Delete

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