“Hope is the thing with feathers…”

This Tufted Titmouse painting of Matt’s has always been one of my favorites. As for the poem… though we don’t have any now, I’ve spent more than 20 years living with several different peach-faced lovebirds and a couple of cockatiels. It’s amazing how much personality can exist in such a tiny package. I didn’t fully appreciate the feathers aspect of Emily Dickinson’s poem until mourning the loss of one of these little avian buddies.

The first verse is on the front of the card. The rest of it goes like this:

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

This is available on Etsy as a 7×5-inch (folded) printable card: Hope is the thing…” Instant Download.

Painting © Matthew Bohan | blog.bohanart.com (Used with permission)