Marty RicKard

The Eagle Within -- a Motivational, Inspirational Poem



Posted: Wednesday, October 17, 2007

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The Eagle Within
By Marty RicKard

The rancher watched the storm clouds
 
building ‘round the mountain peak

He saw the lightning flash

and heard the eagles shriek

 

And through the night

the winds

came slashing from the west

And ‘twas the wind that blew

the tiny eaglet

from the safety of its nest

 

Far below

the eaglet fell

into a muddy chicken pen

where it was promptly taken in

by a worried

mother hen
 
 
The months slipped by so swiftly

and soon the bird was grown

but he lived a lowly chicken's life

for it was all he'd ever known

 

One day the rancher noticed

the eagle scratching in the dirt

At first he thought it funny

but later on

it made him hurt

 

It's wrong

he thought so sadly

that in his chicken pen

there now abides

a full-grown eagle

who thinks that he's a hen

 

The rancher took the bird

to a cliff

so very high

five thousand feet

straight down it fell

He'd teach this "hen" to fly

 

He hurled the eagle off the cliff

and whispered ‘neath his breath

I'd rather see you truly die

than live a life of death

 

Two thousand feet

the eagle fell

like a chicken

filled with fear

then suddenly those mighty wings

with a

whoosh

that all could hear

 

extended

six

no seven feet

and when the eagle looked around

he saw the chickens

running far below

from his shadow on the ground

 

It was then that he discovered

what every eagle knows

He'd rather be the king of birds

slashing through the air

than a chicken in the dirt

scratching for his fare

 

And far above

a teardrop fell

from the rancher's eye

He thought how wonderful it was

he'd taught a "chicken" how to fly

 

And so it is

with each of us

it matters not our birth

we have our choice of scratching

or soaring o'er this earth

 



(IF YOU ENJOYED THIS POEM, DON'T MISS "MY PATH IN THE WOODS" ON THIS SITE BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
 

MARTY RICKARD BIO 

 

          Marty RicKard holds a BS degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi.  He also has a Masters Degree in photography.  Marty was a technical writer for White Motor Company, and page one editor for four Iowa daily papers.  He owned New Sharon Star, where he was twice named Iowa Master Columnist.  For ten years, Marty's regular column appeared in the Professional Photographer magazine.   In addition to his writing credits, Marty has won numerous photography awards and has lectured in 48 states.  He is a regular columnist for Lens Magazine, and a full-time writer of fiction and poetry.  He has published three books. He currently is editor of his local newspaper in Florida.

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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)
» left by Jean Horst
4 years 116 days ago.
177 fans.
"I'd rather see you truly die than live a life of death". Profound and amazing Marty!!
» left by 4 years 99 days ago.
Dear Jean: Thanks for you kind words. I enjoy your writing, also. Best, Marty RicKard
» left by Dave Tanguay
4 years 116 days ago.
You probably heard this one Marty. "It's hard to soar with eagles when you work with turkeys"
» left by 4 years 99 days ago.
Dear David: I've not only heard that saying, I've worked with a few turkeys. Thanks for joining my fan club. Best to you, Marty RicKard
» left by dave....
from ca
4 years 93 days ago.
Wow. This is so true. Most fo us are eagles, but don't know it.
» left by hakamed
4 years 85 days ago.
Wonderful inspirationul poem. Very good.
» left by Anonymous
4 years 84 days ago.
We should have more articles like this.
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