Sunday, February 10, 2013

KINGFISHER

The day was calm, the sea still like a salt marsh.
Everything still, its short perched body still
on the tip of a stone along the dam,
a cluster of still dots around the blue back,
the orange breast and the long beak.
Just before spotting it you had been stopped
by stillness itself, sand and air
in their absolutely settled vast velvet.
One step closer and it flew off
skimming the water-skin, a silent
straight line of fast beating wings.
All sounds were muffled
in this day of low, glowing haze,
so you could say it was in the air
the praised pace of those lines
-At the still point of the turning world…-
with the simple shiver of a truth beyond words.
No wing then answered light to light,
the colours of its body would retain it all.
But you sensed all the same
the mute fullness that makes the world turn,
the heart of stillness where the gaze
ready for marvels just waits.
 
 
It was always on the same beach and several years ago now. Something always seemed to happen there giving me a poem.

2 comments:

Dave King said...

This is quite superb, especially the last two lines which to my mind take it to a deeper layer altogether.
It also seems to be another example of web synchronicity: I have a poem, half finished, featuring a kingfisher. It was to have been my first Cloud poem, but I left it to respond - with yesterday's effort - to the dVerse prompt. No doubt I will post it anon! (it will not take anything from this little beauty, though!)

Crafty Green Poet said...

Lovely poem and you've really captured that air of still anticipation

I've seen kingfishers twice in the past week!