Black-Green Starling (Free Verse Sonnet) Poem by Gert Strydom

(after D. F. Malherbe)

Black-green shiny starling
I hear you scream constantly
where you peck at the leaves of the apricot tree,
out of need do search for food in a hungry age,
do curtail the fruit coming from spring by half
while rain do pour down for days from the sky,
do even peck at the spinach sprouts
and I wonder what destiny does hold
when the wind like in winter does blow and whistle
and I cannot escape your hungry image from my thoughts
do later see the apricots and peaches coming to fruit
but in my mind your voice does linger
until on a day you land fluttering
and well-fed are like always cocky and impudent.

[Reference:"Die rooivlerkspreeu" (The red winged starling)by D. F. Malherbe.]

© Gert Strydom