Atop bare branches
dark shadows wait in silence—
a murder of crows.
Moonlight startles pale feathers,
my lens wakes with their rising.

Shutter softly clicks,
black wings scatter through cold sky.
Branches left empty.
In the frame they still remain—
night lifting from winter wood.

By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

Inspired by a striking Moonglow II. (Haiku) published by Cheemnonso, this poem follows a photographer capturing the sudden flight of crows from a bare tree—an instant where moonlight, wings, and silence meet through the eye of a lens.

#TankaPoetry #HaikuInspired #CrowImagery #NatureInVerse #MoonlitMoments #PoetryOfPhotography

2 responses to “Shutter and Wings”

  1. Through the Lens of Life – Poetry of Life Avatar

    […] March 8, 2026 Shutter and Wings […]

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  2. Cheemnonso Avatar

    Wonderfully written, Paul.

    “night lifting from winter wood” paints such a nice imagery.

    Like

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Reflections on Life

Self‑Discovery and Identity — “What Was and What Will Be”

“I spent my youth chasing the future.
Now I sit with coffee and watch—
others run toward theirs.”

“The young chase tomorrow with urgency; the old watch it arrive —
with patience.”

By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)