Crows

The cliffs are sheer, sparkling glacially
The steely crenellations of Montevetro
Opposing the grey concrete slabs of Selworthy.

Down below the succeeding waves of cars and buses
surge past.
The cyclists swish, the people plod
oblivious.

But up above
The battlements are crowded
with the competing battalions of crows.
The mornings are getting lighter
The days are getting longer
It is time to start again.

They cluster warily.  Distanced from each other.
Favouring the very highest point on the TV aerial’s arm.
They take to the aerial display ground, the leck delineated by the buildings’ shapes.
One on one
Or sometimes two or three together.

Suddenly, responding to an unheard prompt,
Up they soar in carefully measured opposition
Feathers batting furiously, mirroring each other up and up until
one suddenly cuts away – ‘off forth on swing
as a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend’
And in swooping race is pursued downwards to the last second
When both have to slide away.

I’ve tried to get answers.
But all the books say these are solitary birds.
So are they pairing off?  Securing territories?
Repelling foreign migrants with their raucous caws?
Whatever it is, here in Battersea in February
The carrion crows are king.

6 February 2017

With thanks to Gerard Manley Hopkins, who had such a keen eye for nature and a keen ear for the sound of words.  He did love his alliteration!