Sound-Encounter.
Wind riffled thru\' waterproof fabric, galvanized
my rueful intent and when clouds
gathered en masse about pewter-tint light
to hunker in thickly
I knew then
it was time to go home over that sulking horizon
so I was resigned.
Breathing last intakes of tinkling geese
in distant roosts
and hearing sharp wistful yaps from birds nearby
I picked up their flapping thrum of wing-beats
for the very last time
and waved my reluctant goodbye.
The weight of departure was heavy and blatantly
mine as I, with lowered head,
prayed for God to bless all feathered migration
with another season\'s success.
Sheep, I knew would be greenly grazing in fields
at home and I had the feeling
rooks maybe cawing by now in support
of coming Spring outside my front door.
Blessed with a first experience of glorious birds
in their hundreds
of thousands making their way
across tundra to reproduce safely and before
the colour of memory began to fade
I joyfully turned to take in one more
sound-encounter.
of this noisy but unforgettably sweet serenade.