Black Cockatoos – A Poem
1 Jul, 2020 | Uncategorised, What's happening in my writing life
For almost thirty years our family lived in Warrandyte where, at a certain time each year, Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoos, swept magestically over our roof and landed in our Hakeas.
In June 2005 I wrote the poem below, which was published in the wonderful Warrandyte Diary – I’m happy to say, still thriving today. The Diary, as it is affectionately known, will be celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary later this year!
I would like to thank Jock Macneish for his wonderful illustration which accompanied my poem. Thank you Jock and The Warrandyte Diary.
Black Cockatoos
While we sleep
on a still, silent morn
black wings steal like shadows
into the mist.
Their cry is like no other –
haunting,
yearning,
searching
for a morning banquet.
They cry out once more
louder, knowing –
this time announcing they’ve found what they were seeking
and they gather like gossipy women
feasting on delicate food and camaraderie.
The bows hang heavy under their weight
as they drape themselves like heavy cloaks
over the hakeas and pine.
Their presence is like that of
black angels
and there is not a sign of
other morning birds.
Then something disturbs them.
They lift
from the trees
and almost touching the roof tops
swing northward and disappear into
the ethereal mist.
