Mourning Dove, Join Me, Please

by Rachel Malpasso

I’m waiting for the birds to join me at their feeder.

I’m trying to be patient,

Quiet,

Relatively still.

I hear them all around,

But nobody has gotten brave enough to come this close to me.

—This foreign invader—

A few feet away from their food.

But it is I,

The one who feeds you!

Can’t you see?

Are you as curious about me,

As I am about you?

Who will join me first?

Oh, a mourning dove!

You came close to a tree,

My dove,

Checking me out nearby.

Come closer.

I won’t bite.

You’re beautiful.

The way you move – are you bathing or finding food in the tree?

Hey, dove,

Did you see the butterfly?

Do you hear the windchimes or the other birds?

I see another friend getting close.

Wow! What a rush!

That happened so fast; I don’t know who it was.

They came again.

You’ve moved closer,

With your great posture.

Sitting in stillness for minutes.

Come join me,

Please.

There’s plenty of food.

I understand your fear & lack of trust, though.

We have that in common.

Let’s breathe together.

Are those anxious movements you’re making?

Is that for protection?

I understand, dove.

I saw you almost fly again.

Why did you stop?

I’ll be patient.

There’s our butterfly again.

Look, there’s a bee at the rose.

You look like you want to do it.

Come check this cricket out.

There’s a little bird at the feeder now.

A cardinal, too.

Maybe you feel a little safer with them around,

Seeing they’re okay.

I’ll keep waiting for you.

YOU DID IT!

Like always,

You flew to the ground.

Hiding in the grass,

Searching for seeds dropped by others.

I hope you find some.

Good job, mourning dove.

Thanks for visiting me.

See you later.

Mourning Dove, Join Me, Please is part of the Soul Walk Project created by Rachel Malpasso, FTS Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Seven Springs 2023 cohort. You can follow Rachel on Instagram @somatic.forest.therapy.