SWIFTS Poem by Guido Gezelle

Cypselus apus
"See, see, see,
see! see! see!
see!! see!! see!!
see!!!"
hear hear these
weeping swifts
twice or thrice
three,
sweeping and
weeping there:
"Do we see . . .
see
anyone
we can't flee?
We, we? we??
we???"

Peeping and
cheeping, lithe
and disci-
plined;
wheeling and
reeling as
quick as the
wind;
lifting and
drifting
so swift on the
wing,
going and
rowing round
spires they
swing.

Down they are
gliding, soon
widening their
flight;
skyward are
waving their
wings in the
height:
scarcely I
hear these . . . I
no longer
see,
singing still
vividly:
"We??? we?? We?
We . . ."