Curlews and Pipers

Diving and gliding, the curlews
swoop
and soar above

Conducting their courtship high in the air
grey outlines against the blue beyond
long beaks, curved like a new moon
glinting in the sun
sending calls loud and sweet

Welcome the pipers who sing to the sky
and play strains of pibroch
the ancient melody blown
far up the hillside

Diving and gliding, the curlews
answer the pipes
loud and sweet
as they swoop
and soar
Above

Caroline Barden 3.5.17
Written during the LBPS pibroch weekend,
Published in Mosaics (Write to Work) by Writing on the Wall. Available on Amazon for Kindle.

From Hilary de Vries’ ‘The Barley Skimmers’, reviewed on p. 30
 copyright Hilary de Vries 2017