Pigeons would fit better

Although I have had more to do with pigeons than doves, both varieties of bird have played a substantial role in the last four or five years of my life. Whilst getting to know the local flocks and establishing a friendly relationship with them, I have also looked back across my life to former times when these birds played a role.

When I was younger, doves were just white birds that lived in wooden boxes on posts. They cooed and they signified peace and romance. I remember when I first heard the song Wings Of A Dove, I was surprised that the songwriter had mentioned the wing. Wings were something that did not come into my mind at all, whenever I contemplated doves that is. When I grew to learn more about the song, I realized it was not talking specifically about the doves, but referring to them in relation to humans. I also learned that not all doves are white and live in wooden boxes on posts.

We have a collection of turtledoves that spent time in our own yard. They are plummish-gray rather than white, and their flight is not as spectacular or dramatic as that of our pigeons. When hearing the song these days, I think that if doves were not symbolic of love, perhaps the lyricist might have replaced the dove with the pigeon. A pigeon's flight fits the song's requirements far better than the dove, from my personal observation and experience. When our snow-white pigeons take a flight, soaring through the skies above the garden, lingering and falling through the air, then drifting downwards on the air-currents onto a sill or roof, it reminds me of this song. When I watch our local turtledoves however, these do not conjure up any connection to the song.