Today I Saw Seagulls Poem by Gert Strydom

Today I saw seagulls,
six hundred kilometre from the sea,
hunting like tamed ravens or tamed crows

in the parking area of the shopping centre,
flying screeching, on a strong wind
looking for food.

Some were hovering over rubbish bins,
wondering about the contents in them,
some dive-bombed children

who were eating grilled chips
and from the air
menacing grabbed packets
right out of their hands

reminding me about people
who thrive on rubbish dumps,
who live from collecting
from dustbins,
set out for the garbage men

and in a country
that is going to hell,
that is falling apart, turning into the third world
even nature adjusts to it.