Birds Do it. Bees Do it.
Even educated fleas do it.
Let’s do it. Let’s fall in love.
–Cole Porter
Spring is here and everybody is feeling randy. Reproductive rites are happening all around. I see hummingbird males climbing and diving their little rollercoaster flights. Hawks flying in tandem with their landing gear dangling in the wind. Box elder bugs dancing two by two. Orioles whistling for attention, “Hey you!”
They’ve all got “it” on their minds. And I guess I do, too. Not in a perverse sort of way, just in a thinking about relationships sort of way. I think it is really interesting, the things we do to find a mate. And by “we,” I mean every reproducing thing, not just people.
We like to think that we’re more sophisticated than the “lower beings” like birds and bees, but our rites and rituals are not much different from theirs. The American kestrel male offers the female a mouse head and they copulate. The human male offers his best girl dinner and a movie. Moths find each other by scent; we douse ourselves in aftershave. Even plants get all dressed up. And so do we.
The stories are epic, yes, but when we look at the individuals involved, what is going on in there? Does the moth do it for love? Does the orchid value its pollinator? Are hummingbirds caught up in their courtship? Do kestrels find bonding beautiful? That is more difficult to know.
We may not be able to decipher the code, but we interpret it. We use these stories as powerful metaphors for our own experiences of devotion, or at least, the stories we wish were true. We want a great story of a love that heals and sustains us. We’ll do almost anything for it, even though the story is often better than the act itself.
These are some of the thoughts that inspired me as I wrote “Love’s Elusive Ecology.” From Love is Everywhere, by Jen Hajj©2013 CD available at www.jenhajj.com
Love’s Elusive Ecology (hear it at https://soundcloud.com/jen-hajj/loves-elusive-ecology-1)
Moths to the flame they buzz and hum
Wings against glass sizzle when they linger too long
And what is the allure, is it a wild scent on the wind
Or the promise of daylight in the darkness
Bees to the bud, they buzz and hum
Bright transparent wings dance and twirl in the sun
What draws you to the bloom, is it a splash of color
Or the shape of a partner in the petals
Each of these, bee and moth
Seeking solace, seeking truth
In Love’s elusive ecology
They meet their fates, moth and bee
Drawn by beauty we buzz and hum
Hoping it will deign to let us in
And what is the allure, is it the sound of a voice
Or the promise it will heal us if we believe.
About the AuthorJen Hajj has a background in zoo and conservation education. She coordinates the San Diego Bird Festival, presented by the San Diego Audubon Society. She is also an award-winning performing songwriter. Listen to samples of her music and view her tour schedule at www.jenhajj.com. Buy her songs and CDs at iTunes, Amazon.com, CDbaby.com, Spotify.com, ReverbNation.com and StandingOproject.com.