The Return of the Swift

The swifts return each summer and my first sighting of them always brings a smile to my face.

The Return of the Swift

 

The blade-sharp wings;

the darting, fleet, balletic, neat, parting

of the air.

The fearless, keen, athletic, lean, peerless

airborne flair.

 

With wing-beats never heard;

The martin cannot match,

The swallow cannot catch,

The falcon never snatch

This eye-twisting, sky blistering,

air-creasing, unceasing,

Looping, swooping,

archetypal bird.

 

They sting the air, they astonish and astound.

The swifts are back.

All other birds are falling to the ground.

Reviews

[Howard Savage]

Great poem concerning migration of the Swift. Touching words spoken with my first sight of them brings a smile to my face.