Trinidad Poems

cicadas break forth
humidity blankets the
singing earth

The crested oropendula
gregarious and free
to love, to vocalize
sounding like a rain stick
then echoes of joy
nests elongated
like a water balloon
still connected to the faucet
trusting the branch
more than his temporary mate
who may prefer his brother
next season
flocks of black and yellow
arrive on tree tops
announcing their camaraderie
to a lonely territorial
copper rumped hummingbird
guarding his lantana flowers
oh what is the message here?
Mute observations
struggle to bloom.

Blue Crowned Mot Mots

bamboo encounter
blue crowns, racquet tails seeking
solace in the shade

Asa Wright Center
birdfeeders supply a feast
canvas of color

An afternoon wet
with heat, rain, and the thrum of
cicadas and frogs

Acouti mama
sets free her two young
for a morning walk

stream frogs announce with
bright yellow throats rain is here
mating in such bliss

Red bellied macaws
preening and feeding in palms
a sight to recall

woman past her prime
hiking with us to the caves
a curious soul

morpho butterfly
emerging after the rain
undulating grace

the bell bird calls out
bino’s search the canopy
the forest echoes

Channel bill Toucan
in the cecropia tree
seen and yet unseen

twitching in the trees
golden headed manakins
“pick me oh pick me!”

Temple flowers; green hermits
Chinese pagodas; white necked Jacobins
hibiscus ; crested coquettes
helanconias; banannaquits
all
blessed by
winged jewels
thirsting for
their semp.
Sugar birds
alight
the humming
the high pitched bird songs
beauty attracts
like
smiles to kisses
nature seduces
longing to taste
her nectar.

Imaginary
night walk; ocelot and snakes
laughing with the bats

cecropia tree
myriad life forms within
living and being

birds safely encaved
once boiled for their oil by
capuchin monks’ need

young men and women
fighting for oil in Iraq
leave loved ones behind

soldiers like oil birds
sacrifice safety for greed
at what cost, progress?

Laden hog plum tree
a liming spot for friendship
shared kindnesses

a golden tagu
saunters by; shedding his skin
searching for his mate

a ripe papaya
orupendulas conspire
breakfast is served

the air is fragrant
with clouds caressing valleys
messages of love

Our Guide
Before her shift ends
“See you tomorrow; God pleases”
Her faith; blankets us

Waller Field

I.
fireflies pulsating
like diamonds in the night sky
night welcomes the moon

II
Tropical screech owl
calling sadly, longingly
twilight serenade

Cries of the Night
oil birds hovering
hog plum tree laden with fruit
devil birds feasting

Afternoon Thunder Clouds Approaching
leaves falling like sulphur butterflies descending
grey blankets; canopy trees sway
oropendula nests sway
forests awaken; tanagers
flurry; calling kiskadee’s announcing
rain’s arrival.

a crested coquette
dancing above lantana
first light; morning gem

banana quits tease
possessive hummingbirds at
Asa Wright’s feeders

Marva’s Blessing;
I.
It is as if God
has brushed your finger tips
with His creation

II
God brushed your hands
with His creativity;
mirroring talents.

III
God must love you so
to have trusted you with such
talent on your brush

our night walk hopes for
an elusive ocelot
we settle for bats

Atkin’s mom sat on
a log that moved like
an anaconda

Harold’s girlfriend ate
rice, beans, fruit and vegetables
her cancer is gone.

Trinidad’s Scarlet Ibis

Roosting for the night
mangrove in Caroni Swamp
dusk turns green to red

Ribbed Kingfisher
blue and red with white collar
resting in the rain

Green Kingfisher

solitary flight
serarching swamp waters for fish
a green kingfisher

a cook’s tree boa
curls a mangrove branch above us
quietly waiting

A thought searches me
I find it in my dreaming
my grandmothers’ poem

Decades later I
touch her face in a photo
her laugh echoes mine.

by Lisa Albright Ratnavira
Trinidad Sept 17-25, 2008