Little Bird on My Balcony: Selected Poems

By Chris Bliersbach

A selection of 50 poems written when the author was in his 20's. The title references a poem written during the darkest and most pivotal moment in his life. Though written in a time of despair, it served to inspire and save him. This collection speaks to the love, loss, longing, and levity of navigating young adulthood.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chris Bliersbach
• Release date: Mar 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463092477

Chris Bliersbach

Chris Bliersbach is originally from Minnesota but now thaws out in Nevada. In 2019, after 38 years in healthcare, he pursued his dream of becoming a writer. He has since published 17 books, primarily in four thriller series.The Table for Four series is a medical thriller about a blockbuster cure for Alzheimer's that has ominous and unforeseen consequences. Books in this series include Table for Four, Dying to Recall, and Memory's Hope. A portion of the profits from this series are donated to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.The Aja Minor series is a psychic crime thriller about a teenager who discovers she has unique powers, earning her an invitation to join the FBI. Books in this series include Aja Minor: Gifted or Cursed, Aja Minor: Fountain of Youth, Aja Minor: Predatorville, Aja Minor: Spider's Web, and Aja Minor: Shanghaied. The sixth book in this series, Aja Minor: Island of Lost Souls, is scheduled for publication in January 2024. A portion of the profits from this series are donated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.The Slaughter Minnesota Horror series is an occult thriller about a vengeful old lady terrorizing a Northern Minnesota town. Books in this series include Old Lady Ketchel's Revenge, Hagatha Ketchel Unhinged, and Hagatha's Century of Terror.The Metronome Man series is a serial killer thriller about a man whose abusive and neglectful upbringing breeds an unhealthy obsession and murderous rage. Books in this series include The Metronome Man: Bad Timing, The Metronome Man: Dead on Arrival, and The Metronome Man: Not My First Rodeo.He has also published a standalone inspirational romance novel Loving You From My Grave, and two poetry books, Little Bird on My Balcony and Adilynn's Lullaby.

Book preview

Little Bird on My Balcony is the title of a song I wrote in 1982 when I was 24 years old. I chose this song title for this book because it represents a pivotal moment in my life.

A couple of weeks before I wrote the song, I was fired from my job, my car was stolen, and my fiancé and I broke off our engagement. While I don’t subscribe to the saying bad things come in threes, in this case, the saying was accurate. It was the lowest time in my life, and to this day, some 38 years after, it remains my low-water mark.

The lyrics to Little Bird on My Balcony came to me while sitting in a nearly empty apartment during a blizzard. The apartment’s heating system was down, and I had to use my electric toaster oven as my only heat source. While I was trying to drown my pity party with a few Rolling Rocks, a sparrow landed on the railing of my balcony. He looked as cold and forlorn as I felt, and the words and the tune for Little Bird on My Balcony took flight. The words sprang from me out of desperation and despair. Somehow in the 10-minute catharsis of writing and singing it, I no longer felt hopeless and helpless. Instead, I felt inspired and saved. Since then, my life has taken many favorable turns. I have never forgotten that sparrow or the multitude of friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers that have enriched my life.

The 50 poems in this collection were written when I was in my 20’s. Like Little Bird on My Balcony, they all have backstories. It is beyond the scope of this work for me to illuminate those stories as I have for Little Bird on My Balcony. Nevertheless, I hope these poems bring you inspiration and enjoyment. And maybe even a few laughs.

I dedicate this book to Toni.

Little Bird on My Balcony

Little bird on my balcony

Sing a song, oh set me free

There’s a cold north