she has her own chicks to rear
to raise in the way of the
long feather
beak thrust
throat call
crowd muster
rook’s not my friend
she has her own companions
grip-claw
night-wing
flap-master
deep-cry
rook sees me
wide striding
earth bound
leaf plucking
multi-colour
not predator
not prey
she cocks her head
eyes me up
rises easy
flaps away
A rook poem, for the dVerse Open Link Night – hosted by Mish this week – and for earthweal, where Sherry is holding the fort.
Sarah writes poems 
Bold and clipped writing here that conjures much Sarah – I do really enjoy your writing – it is very fresh…
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Thank you, Scott. I’m trying to minimise my word count at the moment. Keep it clean.
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A fabulous corvid poem, Sarah! I love all the thought that ‘she has her own chicks to rear’ and the list of how to raise them, and I adore the kennings – rooks are ancient birds and they suit them. And what an apt ending!
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I love this Sarah, I can just picture the rook eyeing you up before she flaps away (you might enjoy the last image in my contribution tonight) 🙂
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You include much midst stark brevity, and bare bones poetics, lapsing into verse shorthand, where a plethora of possibilities lurk between the lines; nice read.
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Oh that closing is absolutely spot on! Phenomenal write, Sarah 💝
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So wonderfully written with brevity and a perfect meter/rhythm to immerse into when reading. I love this so much, it’s beautiful writing. ❤️
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Oh how I love the sharp lines that emphasize the point….that rook is not your friend! The reasons are clear yet intriguing at the same time.
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Ah, I can see it all. I love the word-choices. You made me see her.
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What a great encounter… don’t you wonder what they must be thinking? Well done!
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They have that eye. (K)
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They do.
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I like the clipped lines and thankfully not clipped wings.You capture the wild independence of the rook well.
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A thought- provoking poem, Sarah. I find it so fascinating that nature all around us is thriving while we, the supposed superior ones, are hunkered down and our life is upside down. Perhaps it’s how nature has felt for quite some time as we desecrated their homes and food sources.
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I always enjoy your rook poems. I like the clipped tone of this, and how the rook seems to be sizing you up–and finding you lacking, just another inferior human. 😏
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Wow. Love the wing flap clipped rhythm of this. Such a beautiful piece.💚
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I love the relationship between the author and the subject, how closely shared their world is, and yet, clearly, in clipped bird-speak, is not. Great piece! ~Jason
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Nice. I love how much you pack in your selection of words. I could almost ‘see’ the rook and you, the relationship is clear. Your ending is great.
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Peaceful co-existence – an aspiration more should share.
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