Barbet Poem by Gert Strydom

Brightly covered in yellow and black
with patches on your wings
you do land on the mown lawn
do peck here and there
while you do walk to and thro
inspecting the grass,
as if in search of something.

With a flutter of wings
you fly up into the apricot tree
and watch the world for a long moment
before you start to peck again.

For a long moment I do watch
and you do watch me
do turn your head askew
while in silence we do gaze at each other.

My wife later do tell me that you are a woodpecker,
yet I do wonder still at your presence
and if again you will be back.

© Gert Strydom