Advice to a Blue-Bird
Maxwell Bodenheim
Who can make a delicate adventure
Of walking on the ground?
Who can make grass-blades
Arcades for pertly careless straying?
You alone, who skim against these leaves,
Turning all desire into light whips
Moulded by your deep blue wing-tips,
You who shrill your unconcern
Into the sternly antique sky.
You to whom all things
Hold an equal kiss of touch.
Mincing, wanton blue-bird,
Grimace at the hoofs of passing men.
You alone can lose yourself
Within a sky, and rob it of its blue!
About this poem
“Advice to a Blue-Bird” was published in “Advice: A Book of Poems” (Knopf, 1920).
About Maxwell Bodenheim
Maxwell Bodenheim was born in 1892 in Hermanville, Miss. He published numerous books of poetry, including “Introducing Irony” (Boni and Liveright, 1922) and “Returning to Emotion” (Boni and Liveright, 1927) and was a literary figure in both Chicago and New York City during his lifetime. Bodenheim died in New York in 1954.
The Academy of American Poets is a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, whose aim is to make poetry available to a wider audience. Email The Academy at poem-a-day@poets.org.
This poem is in the public domain. Distributed by King Features Syndicate.
