Sunday 9 February 2020

Kinship




Flamingoes off the Sitra Causeway in Tubli Bay, Nabih Saleh, Bahrain




The winters pass looking for flamingo pink;
at the pulsing lights on the skin of the bay;
the runners on track, their devices gleaming,
the weekend traffic clogs the six-lane causeway.


Many will come to spot the flamingos
and watch for the shimmer of sodium lights
the peak traffic’s slow, but it comes and goes
and birds are still lost in protected sites.


From Tubli and Arad to the Bay of Bengal
in circles and loops of strange radii
again and again to the sounds of birdcalls,
to the flamingo pink, with a pink rimmed eye.


The kinship of migrants, a kinship of pink,
the kinship of all transient, fragile things.




Unstarry night over Arad Bay. Actually, it was a full moon y'day. 







9 comments:

  1. Kinship is such an emotive topic.
    Kinship of blood, kinship of affections, kinship of minds.
    Fragile all, and connections to be cherished and preserved.

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    Replies
    1. We are all connected, according to the Indian Upanishads...'the world is one family.'

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  2. It must be an amazing sight if everyone comes to see them. A field of pink...

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    Replies
    1. They are graceful birds. And the colours are gorgeous.

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  3. Lovely! What a privilege to see, and what a delight reading your words. Evokes a great feeling this Monday morning, well, Monday, and morning for me.

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    Replies
    1. Seawater and birds always lift my mood :) Have a great week.

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  4. Lovely photos and verses to match them.

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