Nopattern No Do Said One Bird To Another Poem by Sarah Mkhonza

Have you ever wondered why,
Migratory birds up in the air
Fly in a v-pattern. I ask for we
Are going on a long journey, so
We may as well as speak some
Truth one to another? These
Here ducks swimming in this river,
On the banks of which we stand,
Concur that this is to be
Done by me and you, if we must
Live the life of migratory
Birds with no wings, who have
A sense of direction.

The ducks whispered that,
Wrong vision, wrong way,
Wrong everything, and flapped
Their wings, splashing me
With water and telling me
To go and ask the birds.
Feeling rejected for not
Getting a hug, from these
Winged friends, but this
Wet chastisement of this
Splash, I buzz off, my eyes
Looking sky high for winged
Friends to tell me more, for
I live assured that these
Rude ducks, are unusual for
Politeness is rife in the
Bird world.


The birds tell me crooked
Ways don't do it, and their
Suggestions tell me To
Get into the vortex of truth,
As it spins in the air,
And follow them for if I
Do not have a clear way
Ahead, I will be one of a kind,
And lose my way alone,
While they constantly,
Follow the v-pattern,
For no v-pattern, no do,
Says one bird to another.

For me and you we live unsure,
Where our ways are going to
Cross, for if they do so we
Will confuse each other.
If I lead the v-pattern,
Get the message, find your
Wind and join in the flight,
For we are going far, and
Going in circles will not
Do it. Winged friends, or
No winged friends to follow,
We have to reach the ends of
The earth in season.