we are aerial
we are swifts
asleep on the wing
or rising sooty-brown
to black against the sky
wings like scythes
and all summer long we fly
until the long days pass
African heat and grass
call like drums and rattles
and we fly
Kim M. Russell, 8th March 2021
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Quadrille: Swift and reblogged for World Poetry Day 22nd March 2021
Sarah is back to welcome us this Monday at the dVerse Poets Pub, for this month’s small, but perfectly formed, quadrilles. The prompt word Sarah has chosen is ‘swift’.
Sarah has painted a perfect picture of springtime in the UK and written beautifully about swifts, birds related to the swallow, about which I have chosen to write my quadrille, She has also shared gorgeous poems by Yeats and Hughes with the various meanings of ‘swift’ to inspire us.
Common Swifts by Brune Liljefors, 1886, public domain work of art in Wikimedia Commons
writing in north norfolk 
Ah, Kim – the shape is perfect, and I love the call of Africa. This just rolls off the page, takes flight. Lovely.
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Thank you, Sarah!
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Oh, you found the same painter that I used… but my choice fell on another bird… swifts are so exciting, but I rarely see them where I live. The form of your poem made me think of a swift.
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Thank you, Bjorn. What a wonderful artist he is.
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I love the shape of your poem, which looks like a flight pattern. I like how you imagine what the swifts think. Beautiful image to go with your poem!
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Thanks so much, Lisa!
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You’re very welcome, Kim.
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I love how your poem even has the shape of a swift’s tail, or the birds in flight. I think I feel the call of the ‘African heat and grass’ at the onset of winter too, but alas have no wings to take me there!
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Thank you, Ingrid!
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Beautiful quadrille. “wings like scythes” has me thinking of wheat fields, and old farm hands bringing in the harvest. You’ve worked in your imagery to this wonderfully.
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Thank you, Carol.
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Brilliant!
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Thank you!
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I love the shape of the poem–it fits the sense of the poem. The African heat and grass calling to them.
The poem has a sense of light, airiness, and flight, and the painting goes so perfectly with it!
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Thank you, Merril!
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You’re welcome!
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Beautifully shaped right down to the call of Africa. Bravo
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Thank you, Bev.
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Quadrilliffic, KR. I esp like the ‘wings like scythes”.
And I’m in full agreement with all the others on admiring the shapeliness. Not my thing, usually, but you do it exceedingly well here. Have a Great evening!
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Thanks so much, Ron. I’m delighted you admire my shapely quadrille!
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“aerial”
“asleep on the wing”
“wings like scythes”
“all summer long we fly”
All of these — perfect for these perpetual motion ‘machines’
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Thank you, Ken.
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I love your images and your image in words! Beautifully done Kim!
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Thank you so much, Dwight!
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Your poem feels like flying!
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Thank you!
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Sheer elegance, Kim.
-David
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Thank you kindly, David.
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A wonderful write on swift wings, Kim! I love the last lines especially: African heat and grass
call like drums and rattles and we fly…wow!
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Thank you so much, Lynn!
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graceful words, graceful shape
a poem in flight.
Thank you for sharing it.
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Thank you for reading and for your lovely comment, Ali!
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Love, love, love this!
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Thank you so much, Carol!
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Oh I do love this. It feels light as a spring day.
>
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Your comment has made me happy, Marilyn.
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I love the shape of your poem Kim. It adds to the feeling of flight so well. I’ve never seen a swift, we have one species here in AZ, the white throated swift.
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Thanks so much, Linda.
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You’re welcome. 😊
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The form and rhythm are so graceful. Love it! 💖
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Thank you, Tricia!
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The wings like scythes and then your poem as a scythe. I really love the way you play with form. Much enjoyed.
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Thank you so much for your kind appreciation!
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Reblogged this on writing in north norfolk.
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