Thursday, July 25, 2013

To Capture A Miracle

The breeze carried the first smells of green instead of the bite of white. The rising sun shed a yellow glow instead of an empty bright. I smelled the grass and knew the flowers weren't far behind. Spring was on its way. I walked the dewy grasses knowing this would be the day. I carried my camera with the hopes that this year I would capture the miracle, the tiny dance that starts it all.

I found my position on the floor beneath a tree on the edge of the meadow and waited for the sun to cook the dew off the blades of grass. As the final drop dissipated into the ether, a robin landed in the meadow. The forest fell silent. The wind was still. The robin stood royally among the blades of green for a heartbeat before it began to sing. It sang a single note followed by a melody so beautiful that I am sure it's the one that torments the dreams of every composer who has tried, impossibly,  to replicate it.

I lifted my camera silently from the ground and fixed my lens on the miracle. I watched the robin charm a red, wriggling, half-dormant worm from the soil. Its body swayed inconceivably upward from the foot of the robin to the space beneath its singing beak. The robin finished its song. My fingers stood still. It was as if nature would not allow me to capture this impossibility. It was as if, I, too, was under the robin's spell. For a moment longer everything remained silent, everything but the worm remained still. Then the robin tilted its head, snapped up the worm and took flight.

When the bird's feet separated from the soil, the spell was broken. I could smell the flowers on the new breeze and feel the warmth of the sun. My camera came maniacally to life capturing nothing but a moment lost. The forest came back to life. Spring had officially begun.


CHARM (verb)

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake>
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf

************************************************************************************************************
TrifectaPicture11-1This is my response to the Trifecta weekly challenge, which is to write a 33 to 333-word response (mine is exactly 333) using the following word and its third definition

CHARM (verb)

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake> - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf
 CHARM (verb)
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake>
to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake> - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf
CHARM (verb)

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake> - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf

Remember:
  • Your response must be between 33 and 333 words. 
  • You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post. 
  • The word itself needs to be included in your response. 
  • You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. 
  • Only one entry per writer. 
  • If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz. 
  • Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us. 
This week's challenge is community judged.
  • For the 14 hours following the close of the challenge, voting will be enabled on links.  
  • In order to vote, return to this post where stars will appear next to each link.  To vote, simply click the star that corresponds with your favorite post.
  • You can vote for your top three favorite posts.
  • Voting is open to everyone. 
  • You have 14 hours to vote.  It's not much time, so be diligent! We'll send out reminders on Twitter and Facebook.
  • The winners will be announced in the comments of Friday's post and will be posted in our typical fashion in the post on the following Monday.
This week's word is charm.

Or use the new Add link method ?

(Submissions will close / voting starts in 21h 24m)
Link tool by inlinkz.com
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf
1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake> - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf

CHARM (verb)

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake>
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf
CHARM (verb)

1a : to affect by or as if by magic : compel
  b : to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction<charms customers with his suave manner>
2: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3: to control (an animal) typically by charms (as the playing of music) <charm a snake> - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pfKAby6g.dpuf
This week's challenge is community judged meaning for the 14 hours after the challenge is closed readers can vote on their top three posts. To vote, head over to this week's Trifecta post and click on the stars next to your favorites (the stars will appear only after the challenge is closed)!

************************************************************************************************************

5 comments:

  1. An incredible image and moment. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was mesmerized by this story! I have had so many moments where I have been so in the moment that I forgot to take a picture. And like that, it's gone forever :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely and very carefully-observed!

    ReplyDelete