Gull's Picnic Poem by Sheena Blackhall

Ms Gull is not a fastidious feeder:
Her food can come from a lightweight backpack overspill
a simple lunch box,
a sumptuous hamper,
any variety of cool packs, baskets and bags..

Her picnic spot is a tree-lined churchyard
with the hint of damp moss and tobacco
a leafy sanctuary in the city’s midst

friends chat, dispense gull-alms freely
children scampering after her
lack the wings to catch her
lovers sharing a rug
toss a magnanimous crumb


Eating outdoors
makes the meal that much more memorable.
Gull’s snack can be a very impromptu affair
or planned by stalking and painstaking surveillance
Alfresco meals can be lavish fresh air feasts,

There requires no nest cleaning before or after
the neighbours complain about noise
but space is no problem for large numbers
no difficulties with parking outsize flippers
the burble of human speech
flows in the background,
a river of munch and chatter

The mighty trees, grave stones
Give cooling shade