A Golden Death

Yellow Wagtail — Poem II/XVI

Photo © Diana Dolea

(Bird language)— There, a shy bird, born as a graceful guest, and there, meadows and teeming fields are where its lone soul loves to rest.

Yet the amber eyes of the fowl, so eternally golden and young, watch closely a dew-dropped spider with that ready tongue.

Then, before the sudden act, oh, the wildflowers see the chance! — a yellow feather, brightly staged, warms the mossy land with a dance.

Will you believe? All now go mute, and the primal hunt is sadly missed, as open beaks are touched by flame, and softly, truly kissed.

What pure, miraculous fate, thought the spider, safely spun: the bird is dead to the world, and forever naught to the sun.

Author’s note:

Inspired by the precious, bright Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), this poem follows a bird on a hunt who becomes blinded by the sun and loses its life. Whether the bird glimpses its own golden reflection in that blinding light, or chases a deeper mystery entirely, matters little. In the end, the beauty of a poem lies in its mystery, inviting every reader to step inside, imagine, and find their own heart.

Diana Dolea © 2026