#844 - Scout, the picnic magpie

 

27.iv.22

844

3.117

Scout, the picnic magpie

for Fenya T Ringl, to accompany her print of Scout

 

 

has this name because we say

 

here she/he (who can tell?)

comes

 

so little, chill

 

fledgling thing of crystal blue

of leaf, of twig

 

out of the nest of dawn

and now

 

comes bringer of sunshine

chorus in one bird

 

cocky little beak-led omnivore

all waiting for some, for any, like us

 

the few lit hours spent so far

on any opportunity

so scouts the picnic out

 

ah what a swoop in later life!

kids satchel over head to school

 

but not today!

we won’t call this aggressive display

 

but picnic entertainment

grazing at the blanket

 

now favoured among all winged things

Scout sings a song for whom?

 

delighting strut and proud

to pick the picnic over

                                   loudly

 

we cannot get to the words for the tune

and wonder if any of this is for us

 

what is it Scout’s wishing to say?