what bird did you see

My dear sister-in-law, Fran, and I attended a Dar Williams concert on Tuesday, February 10, at the A. J. Fletcher Opera Theater, in Raleigh, with Seth Glier opening. We had such a great time listening to her wonderful story-telling melodies. The little anecdotes she shared between songs were very amusing and heartwarming.

The words to one tune in particular, from her new Hummingbird Highway album, resonated with me deeply, especially at this time in my life:

In the parking lot the dark becomes two panes of light
There’s a charcoal slash of ocean and a smoky plank of sky
Now they’re changing colors
Laurel green with alabaster,
Agate blue with snowy aster.
And as the blues are brightening and the cars are coming in,
You see a seagull weave a path upon the wind,
Like a thread that can begin and then begin
While the world just goes about its day
As the ground beneath you falls away
In this time when there’s no time, there is no place to be,
What bird did you see?

You think a goldfinch is enchanting and you know you told her,
Now a goldfinch lands above you like it’s on your shoulder,
Yesterday you saw a red-tailed hawk
Around a corner proud and still
Out of place, a sentinel.
And at the window when sparrows flew away,
A single cardinal seemed to know he had to stay,
He had to be the bright vermillion in the gray,
While the world just goes about its day
As the ground beneath you falls away
In the presence of this absence, was there one bright flash, a simple song, a revery
What bird did you see?

And You will feel the summer sun and autumn rays,
You will return to busy friends and busy days but now,
In this time between the here and the hereafter there’s a feather at your door,
Love will find its way,    
In the very life you have today,
You’ll go back to what you understand,
Maybe unbelieve
But tell me now, what bird did you see?
It’s okay to know it’s me.

~ Dar Williams
♫ (What Bird Did You See) ♫

13 thoughts on “what bird did you see”

  1. Oh Barbara, this is so beautiful. The Dar Williams lyrics must’ve felt like someone wrapped a warm blanket around you. So very wonderful.

    1. It was wonderful, Jet. My sister-in-law even turned to me and whispered to me that Dar was singing the song for me. It was such a comforting gift.

  2. Such a pretty song … and yes, so appropriate. I can see where it would resonate with you. Hugs from once-again gray Central Illinois!

    1. Hang in there, Debbie! The gray won’t last forever and we’re more than half way through winter. Sending you hugs and wishes for an early spring!

    1. I splurged and bought a canvas bag and a T-shirt after the concert for souvenirs – turns out they came in handy to illustrate my memory. 🙂

  4. I found a video to listen to the song. It’s beautiful. And yes, listening to it in the audience must have given you heartfelt goosebumps! Thank you for sharing your story. Wishing you lovely memories on this Valentine’s Day. 💘

    1. Thank you, Teri! So happy to know you heard the song in addition to reading the lyrics. Hearing Dar sing it live brought tears to my eyes and I will never forget that moment!

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