The swallows are back in town.


Acrobats

They're here again, arrived last week from Africa,
Sharing a roost with pot-bellied pigeons,
A former factory closed by the recession,
All the activity is theirs, all the industry,
Darting in and out like thread through a needle,
Sewing up the air to form an invisible cloak,
The cloak of a ringmaster in a circle of glee.

Whoosh, the first acrobat appears from the wings,
Uuuuup, uuuuuuup, uuuuuuuuuup, gone from view,

Then

D
O
W
N

D
O
W
N

D
O
W
N


Wheeling and spinning

Rolling and gliding

Chasing and teasing

Frolicking and chirping

Clowning and showing off

Then

UP


UP


UP


Little specks high above the ringside,
Spots before your amazed eyes,
Dashing dots, dotty dashes,
Aerial morse code, a message from the gods,


Save

Our

Swallows


Wilco.



Poetry by Chris Fernie
Read 396 times
Written on 2009-06-06 at 17:59

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Rob Graber
Agreat read! The contrast drawn in lines 3 and 4 is just superb, capped by the subtle pun on "industry."
2009-06-06