Murmuration on the 18.30 to Carmarthen
This little flock flutters in
perches round a table, pecks at nuts
sips a little from their store of green tins
they preen the stripy feathers suspended from their ears
flash glue and glitter in silver lightning strikes
swoop gold half-moons across their smooth cheekbones
paint lilac bandit masks around their shining eyes
they trill songs of expectation
a dawn chorus firing synapses:
that school hall disco half a century back
‘Hi ho silver lining
And away you go now baby’
they wonder how far it is to Hereford
staging post on this half-planned migration
from Manchester to Ledbury
they say they don’t care about the music
they’re going for a good time at El Dorado.

Lovely, vital poem! What a great encounter.
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