Somewhere, a code

By DS Maolalai

somewhere, they move
when some movement
is required. and when
that is, they move
in patterns, involving
what's around. animals,
doing what they will
when they will do it
and when they must
and only when
they must. oh

 

the ease of living
in such a straight-
forward condition. truly
an enviable life.
as if there were,
somewhere, a code
which could be learned:
a seabird, standing
on a the rail of a trainline,
leaning his weight
against sunlight,
flapping his white
and grey wings.

 

 

DS Maolalai from Ireland has been nominated eight times for Best of the Net and five times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019)