the blueshift journal
blueshift / ˈblo͞oˌSHift / noun
the displacement of the spectrum to shorter wavelengths in the light coming from distant celestial objects moving toward the observer.
The Girl Who Gets Gifts from Birds
Lenny DellaRocca
*an erasure poem from an online Feb. 2015 BBC News article
by writer and broadcaster Katy Sewall.*
This is her most precious collection: small pieces of brown glass worn smooth
by the sea, a broken light bulb, miniature silver ball, blue paper clip, yellow
bead, faded black piece of foam, blue Lego piece sitting on the edge of the bird-
bath. Each item a gift given to her by crows. Sometimes they give the kind of
presents they would give to their mate — dead baby birds. This object is one of
her favorites: a heavily rusted screw she prefers not to touch. You don't see a
crow carrying a screw unless it's trying to build its house. Gabi's relationship
with crows began accidentally, a kind of transformation. They understand each
other's signals. The crows were watching her.