… Now I remember only
The long ascent of the lonely valley, the live
Pine spirally scarred by lightning, the slicing pipe
Of invisible pika….
David, by Earle Birney (1942)
The slicing pipe of the pika (invisible or not) is: “EEEP”.
Birney’s reference to the call of the invisible pika resonates with hikers adjacent to talus in the subalpine of Western North America: the furtive pika is heard much more often than it is seen.
A pika issues its call of EEEP upon spotting an interloper in its world.
Another pika doesn’t seem to know it is being watched when it presents its profile to the camera.
Apparently secure in its invisibility this pika strikes a hero’s pose.
Wonderful pictures, Alistair. Also good to be reminded of my days in the classroom teaching ‘David’. Thanks, Alastair.
An original Alpine farmer…cutting & drying grass for underground winter stores!
David…Earl came to Notre Dame in Nelson & read his classic poem…he had St. Martin’s Hall audience in Palm of hand! Unforgettable !