I wrote this in 2018. Now we live in a different neighborhood and a mockingbird comes occasionally. I hope it does not take residence here and stays 3 blocks over!

Mockingbird © Molly Lin Dutina 18-4-12

A mockingbird has moved into the neighborhood
More specifically our lot
When I awoke this morning he was using
Everyone else’s songs from our rooftop
Mostly a good imitation 
Yet, when I hear the actual individual birds
I realized it was just imitation
Not the rich variations that the actual singers give

The woods are full of spring songs
Bird after bird seeking a mate
Singing and flitting through the branches
(Or racing) each other
To impress the perfect mate

Mocking bird is like the enemy in my ear
Repeating phrases of accusation 
Condemnation and insult
No fresh life-giving inspiration
Such as the Holy Spirit brings

I’d like to shoot at this bird to scare it off our property
As a child there was one who attacked whenever
We tried to hang up the laundry or take it down
Now it is just annoying and incessant
Yet there are likely lessons to learn here

Listen carefully
Do not assume every repeated phrase is from God
Just like the Sheriff will never call and 
ask you for money over the phone
God speaks in that still, small voice
Not the raucous jack-hammer of a mockingbird 
Try to be still in the cacophony of that chorus
Quiet your soul and rest in the peace of His Presence

 “And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down-he who accuses them day and night before our God.’” Revelation 12:10

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  1 Kings 19: 11 b-12

Quiet your soul and rest in His Presence.