Night-flying in North Wales

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By Philip Sidney

Tue, 11 Apr 2017
  • 5724 reads
19 comments
 

In daylight 

the sleek, black, gleam

of wing

flashes above slate tiles

tilts

and slips into a gap in the mountain.

 

Later- you look up past a neighbour speaking

of how good the blackberries were last autumn

into the face of a pilot

in a heavier machine - war-green

it hangs for a moment

they shake you.

 

At night

under covers

under darkness

you hear them

screaming above the warning of an owl 

 

making preparations.

Certificate 12
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Ed Crane on

In a way a view becomes crystal clear as a camera lens focuses, that line focusses the now and brings a  cold shiver to the spine.

 

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

We are all connected.  That last line brings a coldness in the pit of the stomach.  Great piece.

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

oozes menace from every line - especially, as everyone else has pointed out, those last very chilling few words. Brilliantly done.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Vere vivid, the ordinary chatter meeting the training.

We are all deeply concerned about how and whether forces should be deployed these days in such complex situations, but we have always needed a defence force keeping up its careful training and being ready for needed defence. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you all for reading - and the cherries too.  Dark times.  indecision

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This atmospheric piece is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day. 

Please share/retweet if you like it too

Picture Credithttp://tinyurl.com/lsfnu8z

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

written in such a way it grabbed my attention.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Jenny -

and thank you so much for the golden cherries, insert!

Submitted by celticman on

it's a worry, those sleek machiine and those morons so keen to use them to show off their mgiht. 

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Less is more. Very true here.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks for reading celticman and Parson Thru.

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thought-provoking, gives a chill of fear. Birds are murder machines too but only to smaller birds and earthworms.

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

They are indeed elsie - thanks for reading smiley

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you for the pick!  Lovely surprise.

Submitted by BeamsAndVoids on

Nice surreal feel to this, enjoyed it!

 

Submitted by Sachin Gopanal on

Wow Philip, that was quite a picture that you have painted there. Hats off.

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Helen

So much said in so few words. You set the atmosphere for a much bigger story.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Somehow the rythm is threatening. I like the tilts on one line and then the next line, longer makes it seem like the plane is zooming fast. And they do shake you. The power of mankind, shaking you to your bones

 

Submitted by ashb on

Hi, Worth a try sending this to the New Statesman which publishes poetry? Don't know how, maybe by post to the poetry editor would be the easiest?

ashb