For the Birds Radio Program: Bird Passing (Passenger Pigeon)
Original Air Date: Sept. 1, 2009
Rerun Dates:
Sept. 1, 2017;
Aug. 29, 2014;
Aug. 30, 2013;
Sept. 5, 2011;
Sept. 2, 2010
Marianne Boruch wrote a lovely poem that she gave Laura permission to read on this anniversary of the death of the last Passenger Pigeon
Transcript
Ninety-five years ago, on September 1, 1914, Martha the Passenger Pigeon, the last individual of what had once been the most abundant bird in North America died in the Cincinnati Zoo. In honor of her, today I’m going to read an exquisite poem by Marianne Boruch from her wonderful Poems, New & Selected, published by the Oberlin College Press.
(Poem available from book)
That was Marianne Boruch’s Bird Passing, from her Poems: New & Selected, published by Oberlin College Press.