KUAKA

godwits

four by twenty godwits
rose into the sky
fattened on the mudflats
March the time to fly


north to shores of China
by the yellow sea
refuel stop and cluster
tube-worm estuary


on up to Alaska
flocks of he and she
nest out in the tundra
hatching fledging spree


sunset in September
fly south from the cold
straight to far Miranda
only three months old



with the wind in darkness
on the rising tide
high above the oceans
leave the land behind


seven times a sunrise
seven times a night
seven days unsleeping
seven days in flight


burning fat and lipids
powering feathered wings
trans-pacific angle
ninety-eight degrees


rest-up for a summer
fix the wear by moult
colour-up the plumage
double-up the weight




© nev2016

MuseScore generated audio without vocals

© nev2016