Monday, March 12, 2007

Suddenly there came a tapping ...

Gobble, Gobble, Amherst, NH, March 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 200mm, Exposure 1/50 sec @ f5.7, ISO 200, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I had a rather interesting couple of visitors today.

But to explain, let me use my pictures, and someone else's words (well, mostly).

With soooooo many apologies to Mr. Poe ...


Once upon a workday dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious e-mails, just cause for snore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my office door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my office door -
Only this, and nothing more.' ...


... Back into my office turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, 'with a furtive glance, someone's at my patio entrance;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!' ...


... Open here I flung the handle, surely t'was a feathered vandal,
In there stepped a stately gobbler of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, gamely crossed my office door -
With his friend, crossed the threshold of my office door -
Came to visit, for a moment, nothing more.


6 comments:

Alli said...

WOW!!! That is incredible! They are beautiful and definitely more brave than they used to be!!! How long did they stay there for?? I love the third photo... looks like they really want to come in!

Steven Crisp said...

Yes, I like the last photo best as well -- you can really see their color, without the (dirty) glass door in the way.

They were there for quite awhile (until I scared them away with my agressive photo shoot). I htink they must have seen their reflections in the gass door, and were probably being agressive towards the other intruders.

It was wild to watch them tap on the door.

Thanks for the comment, Alli.

Pat said...

Every thing about this is great.
Your poetry…(sort of) :-)
The incident.
The photography.
Congrats on being very present to the moment.

Steven Crisp said...

Arrrgh, Blogger ate my comment. Anyways ...

Thanks Pat for the comment, especially regarding presence.

It really was a remarkable thing. These two birds were vociferously tapping at my door -- it immediately made me think of Poe (or Hitchcock ;-)

Funny. We've had many turkeys through our yard over the years, but none as colorful as these two. Perhaps spring is just around the corner, and they were just trying to find a room and some privacy ;-)

Anonymous said...

I bet they tasted good! I assume that after the photo session you got you shotgun out.

Steven Crisp said...

Nah. Can't you see -- I invited them in. We all dined together. We had tofurkey ;-)