on the wind

A southerly brings warm air
A wild stuttering wind
Crows and jackdaws are loving it
Launching themselves into it
Rising from the oaks on it
Lifted by gusts
Wheeling round the rain stained crown for more
A ragged flock in black tumble
Below the scudding grey stream of cloud
Above the autumnal pallet of the lane's arboreal border
They fly a broken line across the field toward Redenham
Singing as only covids know how
Calls and croaks and creaks and caws
Down on the fine tilth of the harrowed field 
a buzzard has folded its huge wings away
clamped its talons to a dead pheasant
concentrates on the serious business of scavenging
While the jackdaws play on
Relishing the aeronautical challenge carried before the closing storm

~

CLP 03/10/2025