Feeding the Birds

By Margaret Hetherman

“Feeding the Birds,” by Margaret Hetherman, is the winner of the Columbia Journal‘s Special Issue on Loneliness in the art category.

Author’s note:

Coming upon the scene, I instinctively took the camera; later, I grappled with whether doing so had been invasive. The image shows a homeless man with birds in flight just after he tosses pieces of bread for them to eat. Solitary, but in winged company for a few moments. Off screen, his laughs sounds something close to bliss. The subtlety of a passing stranger can be seen in the shadow to his left. He appears abandoned. Discarded. Alone. But is he unhappy?



About the author:

Margaret Hetherman's writing and photography have appeared in publications that include Washington Post (animals washed ashore), Gothamist/WNYC (social justice). She holds an MFA in Film from New York University, and B.A. from the University of Michigan (cum laude).