“To Leave” (and a snippet)

Let me premise this by saying that this is not intentionally about death and I am not dying (except to get out of school).

Once again, this was inspired by my favorite little running route and the feathered friends who live there. (Speaking of birds, there is a little snippet at the end of this dedicated to one of my favorites.)

To leave this bit of earth,
This valley dear
Is something all must do
And yet do fear.

To leave for homely hearth
This little place
Is to be fin’ly through
With oft-run race.

To leave the many birds
I’ve come to know
Makes all their soothing songs
A lost echo.

To leave- I have not words
That truly say!
Where my sore heart belongs
Beyond today.

I listen to the crow
Cawing goodbye
And cricket as he bows
His lullaby.
The bluebird I like best
Now takes to sky;
Returns he to his nest
And so must I.

As promised, here is the poetry snippet dedicated to the little bluebird:

Blue is the light
of his feathers and my eyes:
Deep and bright
With ancient youth
And oceans turned to skies.

Thank you to https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/304206 for the bird information/photo. I am incredibly comforted to know the blue bird was in fact a bluebird.