Four with their white wings
‘wheezing’ a refrain, following
the black coastline. All life
lifts to their passing.
Seeing them is not dependent
on eyesight, sensing their musical
flight not dependent
on hearing. Each wingsweep bridges silence.
The leader flies higher and the others
stack below to step down so the first
is last, the second, third.
Harmonics are also involved.
All life knows this more than
its own sentience. All inanimate
presence shudders under the force.
Rocks shimmer, Carraiglea shudders
*
Taken from John Kinsella’s collection Insomnia, recently published by Picador and available here.