The Robin

Once upon a time, 

when women were birds, 

there was the simple understanding 

that to sing at dawn 

and to sing at dusk 

was to heal the world through joy. 

The birds still remember 

what we have forgotten, 

that the world is meant to be celebrated. 

~Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds: Fifty-four Variations on Voice

  

We saw them everywhere, the robins. They perched on fences and gravestones. They hopped at the entrances to caves and at the edges of gardens. The robins in Ireland* are different from those we know at home. These are pudgy little things. They flutter just close enough to pick up crumbs or to investigate your presence in their world. They keep one company.

Clonmel, County Tipperary

Westport, County Mayo

Kilmacduagh, County Galway

Clonmel

Inisheer, Aran Islands

Mitchelstown Cave, Cahir, County Tipperary

Kilmacduagh

On two of our long walks in the woods we were visited by robins. Cheeky little devils, they flew back and forth across the paths as if investigating us. Who were these strange creatures in the woods?  They examined us with their solemn black eyes.  Before long we almost expected to be joined by one of these tiny creatures on every walk.

Ballynahinch Lake, Recess, County Galway

 

Birds were created to record everything. 

They were not designed just to be beautiful jewels in the sky, 

but to serve as the eyes of heaven. 

~ Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun

Dromore Wood, Ruan, County Clare

He's in there - hiding in the middle of the fern.

NOTES:

*European Robin


Final note:

While hunting down a chemist (pharmacy to you/"drug store" in Texas) I passed a gift shop on the corner. Staring out at me were 20 or so ceramic robins. Two came with me - one for me and one for a B&B proprietor who shared the birds with us. My robin sits on the window ledge above my kitchen sink and gives me that curious look.