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Friday, August 8, 2025

European Goldfinch poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone for Roundup.

Earlier this week, I shared about my 50-ish years as a writer over at Smack Dab in a post titled Reflection: A Writer's Journey. Spoiler: the 2020 shutdowns had a huge impact on my writing life, and I'm so glad!

This week's ArtSpeak: PICASSO features a bird. I wasn't sure what kind of bird it was, as Picasso didn't title it. But thanks to ye old internet, I soon identified it as a European Goldfinch

I know we have birders in our Poetry Friday community...anyone ever seen this one in real life?? Please share in comments!



European Goldfinch
by Irene Latham

hello you delicious little
banana split bird
you perch all chocolatey-vanilla
wings flashing yellow
a sprinkle of nuts
a drizzle of caramel
and that sweet cherry face
you set my tongue
my heart
my whole body atwitter-trilling


11 comments:

  1. Yum!! I love how your "banana split" descriptions sent my eyes back and forth from poem to bird and back again!

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  2. You see things in such astonishingly creative ways, Irene. I think I have said this before, but I feel it every time I read one of your poems: I would never have seen that, but now I can see it no other way.

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  3. I'm happy that your writing journey has led you to sunbeam fingers! Your banana split analogy is fresh and clever :) xo

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  4. Delightful! I love that you helped us see the banana splitness of this gorgeous bird/painting. I'm delighted and hungry all at once.

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  5. Wheeee! A banana-split bird for the win. This is so fantastic!

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  6. I don't think I ever would have imagined a banana-split in that lovely bird - so original and clever. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  7. What a fun metaphor for this cute bird. I love how delicious and sensual this poem is!

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  8. I love the "banana-split bird" so lovely!

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  9. I have not seen this bird before, but your poem was such a delight! Your joyful tone of whimsical appreciation was as sweet as....well, a banana split, I suppose! I love how you ended with "atwitter-trilling". Perfect!

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  10. Yes, wow with those sunbeam fingers! And "atwitter-trilling" you can feel the finch singing and moving in those words, lovely, thanks!

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  11. Banana-split bird! Of course! Never seen one, but have been known to EAT them! :)

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Your thoughts?