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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“Childhood is where chalk dust becomes stardust, and every small step carries the wonder of a world waiting to be discovered.”

“And when night falls, the dreams we built in play remain glowing softly within us, reminding the heart it was once held without fear.”

By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)