Brilliant Red Cardinal

Poetry

Brilliant Red Cardinal

Lori Dueck

Volume 41  Issue 7, 8, & 9 | Posted: October 7, 2026

iStock: Valentina Pislari

Far from my home on the West Coast,
I was welcomed by Ottawa’s sweet host.
A song and colour, completely new,
A scarlet cardinal came into view.
My small feathered friend has my attention,
A message he has is worth a mention.
It is said a departed loved one is safe and nearby,
I believe it is Elizabeth, dropping by to say hi.
This is a gift I didn’t leave behind
The song and colour etched in my mind
Back home on the West Coast, where they’re rarely in view,
In a form of a painting, an ornament and a puzzle too.
The cardinal came, then flew away,
Yet left a gift that chose to stay.
A song, a colour, love’s design
A little piece of hope that’s mine.

   

Lori Dueck