Back to a theme I don't seem to have found the bottom to yet.
A SMALL DEATH
Have seen my first dead bird today,
a feathered heap upon the waterline
only visible through binoculars, even then
I barely manage to identify what it is.
It's raining, the sky is grey,
the space around the dead bird desolate;
an oyster catcher, is the guess,
from plumage colour, for there's nothing else.
I wonder how it ended there this rare
retiring bird I don't know so well;
wild creatures tend to die of violence in nature,
though this one had not been attacked
by playful family dog or another
more serious hunter, for no feathers
lay around, no signs of torn flesh -
just the stillnes - the soft toll of waves.
bw
James
_________________________________________________________________
MSN Messenger - fast, easy and FREE! http://messenger.msn.co.uk
|