Monday 23 January 2012


Roof dancers

As the light grows
before my first coffee
they soar over houses
rising,gliding,
shouting, shrieking

Landing, ballet dancers first
on points all
balance on the ridge
quietly moving
sliding over tiles.

Line dancers arrive
sans invitation
stamp, stomp
without synchronisation
back, fore repeatedly.

Tap dancers last to join
stamp, click,
click, stamp
noise increases
dance floor crowded.

Arguments heard
shouts, screams
so much to say
shrieks, cries
conflict happening

Gentle dancers leave
pirouette away
line dancers fly
straight forwards
back again.

Tap, tap, stomp, stomp
seagulls all gone
kettle boils
coffee is made
roof quiet for now.

26 comments:

Yvonne said...

Love the way you capture the landing: "on points all balance....over tiles"

Moving with Mitchell said...

Such a generous (poetic) way to describe the din of gulls on the roof first thing in the morning!

Kelly said...

...love this poem, the last lines especially:
"Tap, tap, stomp, stomp
seagulls all gone
kettle boils
coffee is made
roof quiet for now"
...it really painted a picture for me of the scene. At first I thought it was going to be starlings, but soon after I felt they were gulls, which they were! :-)

Cuby said...

Yvonne:Thanks.

Cuby said...

Mitch Block: They are so noisy but I do quite like their being there so I felt a generous description appropriate.

Cuby said...

Kelly: So pleased you liked this poem. Thanks.:)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I liked this! You captured those noisy birds quite well!

Cuby said...

Lisa@Two Bears Farm:Thanks for your comment.

Diane said...

Thanks so much for your visit, nice to 'meet' you. Love your poems, the words actually mean something which I love. Diane

Cuby said...

Diane: Welcome here. Thanks for your kind words about my poetry.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi There, Claire.. (I think that is your name.).. I always enjoy your poems. Birds are like ballet dancers.. I can't see them on our roof--but love to watch them flying in and out all day long to the feeders on my deck...

Maybe your seagulls want some of your coffee.... ha ha

Thanks for a great poem.
Hugs,
Betsy

Chris Benjamin said...

I can hear it!

And I have a picture of it from years ago: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s2DGJ0DYsDU/Sf7eqdP1boI/AAAAAAAACIc/T-OGgdqhJds/s1600-h/gulls.jpg.

Cuby said...

Betsy from Tennessee:I am not sharing my coffee with any seagull! So pleased you like this poem. Yes I am called Claire! X

Cuby said...

Chris Benjamin: I have just looked at this photo and I feel that the ridge that these guys were standing on is an exact replica of my roof or if not then one that matches the words in my poem so perfectly. Thanks so much for this.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Perfect! I've seen that so often myself. I love how you bring in all the different dance styles...

Viola said...

Seaguls can make a lot of noise, many seem to think, but I love them! :) Roof dancers.. lovely words..
Lovely poem! :)

Greetings from Viola! :)

Cuby said...

Crafty Green Poet: There are so many different sounds of feet moving the dancers seemed most appropriate glad you liked the idea.Thanks.

Cuby said...

Viola: Seagulls are a sign of the sea to this who don't have them bothering them.In Cornwall they are quite a nuisance without any romantic notions! Pleased you liked my poem.

Nancy said...

What a fun poem! Had my mind going up and down, along with the birds! :)

Cuby said...

Nancy@A Rural Journey: So pleased you were able to picture this noisy activity. :)

Al said...

A nice and unusual way to look at the seagulls. I was wondering if you'd tell us what type of bird it was before the end :)

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Cuby said...

Al:I am pleased this poem ad an air of mystery about it! :)

Cuby said...

Ola: Welcome here. I do hope you will enjoy reading my poems. :)

CherryPie said...

Seagulls are very much like tap dancers on the roof. I hadn't thought of them in that way before.

Cuby said...

Cherry Pie:Seagulls certainly make their presence felt wherever they are.