Broken Wing

Book excerpt: This posthumous novel from acclaimed author David Budbill tells the story of The Man Who Lives Alone in the Mountains. As winter descends on his idyllic home, the man encounters a bird with a broken wing, sending him into a poetic and profound meditation on solitude, friendship, and the unstoppable march of time. In the deep woods of Vermont, The Man Who Lives Alone in the Mountains exists in solitude and simplicity. His days are spent caring for his garden and observing the birds and creatures that visit his home. His nights are spent in a contemplative world of music, poetry, letter writing, and, most importantly, bird watching. As November arrives and The Man prepares for winter, he notices an injured bird, shiny and black, holding his own among bullying blue jays. He is drawn to the bird’s spirit of survival and freedom and names it Broken Wing. Since his only neighbors are a couple of hostile brothers and their bird-hunting cat, Broken Wing becomes a source of inspiration—and a friend. As fall changes to winter and back to spring, The Man’s dreams of Broken Wing give way to meditations on the peaks and valleys of life, the passage of time, and the poetry of nature.