Baltimore Oriole by Roger Tory Peterson circa 1981
So…How Was Your Trip?
In the 3rd week of September
I begin to watch the skies.
Every day I search for you
all of you…
You are in my mind, my heart
and my imagination .
Your GPS. and your Waze
are programmed
to land on my windowsill,
at the room in the back.
Your children already know
the way thanks to the uncanny
gift of genetic programming.
You see in your mind, all those
bananas, those luscious pieces
of papaya, a true tropical buffet.
Just 100 miles more and you can
rest and gorge, recuperate from your
3000 sometimes 4000 mile trip.
Then on the last day of September;
there you are,
sitting in my mango tree
like you were born there.
You jump down and perch
on my windowsill…as if 6 months
has not gone by, since you were last here,
as if you never left.
Your bright orange belly,
those stylish black and white wings….
Ahh my dear Baltimore Oriole,,,,
how I wish we could talk.
I’d sit in a chair on the other side of the screen
and ask you..
“So tell me…..
how was your trip?”
Karima Hoisan
October 26, 2025
Costa Rica
*Footnote: We are in the first weeks of receiving
migratory birds coming from North America and
even Canada!! One tiny species, Tennessee Warblers (that I
affectionately called Tushties) come all the way
from Canada…WOW!! It takes them 2 months to get here.
Ohhh the stories they could tell!! If the world starts to get to you.. stop and think about the true Miracle of bird migration!!
The Artist
Digital Rabbit Hole 