Fear waits upon its prey
where the light is a shamefaced girl

wind is a fragmented guest
where silence fools the unwary

to chirp the birds forget
where the baiter might be the bait

the hush is not all white
as in that ever ruling night
blood is spilled without sound.

Forlorn as the lovers' lost track
meanders the creek
in moans for the lost
shedding its sighs to the tides.

~

fowl flock to a gathering,
exactly why? no one knows.
an unkindness of ravens,
a ****** of crows;
a siege of blue heron,
gather geese in a horde;
seem to come in their sadness,
but stay for the show.
see swan sail in wedges,
jay scoff in their scold;
assembly, their strength,
nom de plume from of old.

ask me why do they gather?
could it be they’re unhappy?
might we also feel slighted,
a disservice agreed;
if our strength were declared
our insufficiency?
why do finches and
hummingbirds meet in a charm?
penguins, get to huddle,
and in happiness, those larks?

the cranes come in dances,
in company those parrots;
to parliaments owls,
in wisdom who-hoo-ing;
flamingoes to stand,
for an eagle’s convocation?
no, a nye’s not unpleasant,
for a pheasant you see;
and benign is a bevy,
quail flush neath a tree.

but, ’tis a bit scary,
lurking turkey in gangs,
hawk’s shadowy cast;
and warblers in confusion,
with buzzards in wake;
a wisp full of snipe,
whisp’ring, “good night”;
yet glorious are pelicans,
a squadron in flight;

and nothing so stirring, as
a starling’s constellation,
while an asylum’s
assembly for loons,
and a quarrel of sparrows,
are entirely drowned out,
by a drumming of peckers,
the wood kind, that is!

while sticks and stones,
may break all one’s bones;
those labels and words, do
leave a sting and a hurt;
all human, one race,
can unkindness defer,
diffusing by choosing,
our union assert!
but slinging maligning,
and kicking of dirt,
by abusers and losers,
let's leave for the birds!

~

*post script.

numerous fellow poets far more skilled than i, have posted a variety of well-written pieces using fowl flocking terminology. this is intended to be an assembly of the sometimes-silly, often-absurd and mostly-always-humorous assignments of those flocking terms, used in an imagined treatise about the hurtful labels we humans use to judge one another; labels that vilify, rather than unify.  for would not a battle that hasn’t any "winner" be far better fought hand-in-hand, than hand-to-hand?

terms for flocking fowl in order of use
(a few fowl have two flocking terms, and some flocking terms are claimed by two fowls)

an unkindness (ravens)
a ****** (crows)
a siege (herons)
a horde (geese)
a wedge (swans)
a scold (jays)
a charm (hummingbird, finches)
a huddle (penguins)
a happiness (larks)
a dance (cranes)
a company (parrots)
a parliament (owls)
a stand (flamingos)
a convocation (eagles)
a nye (pheasants)
a bevy (quail)
a flush (also quail)
a cast (hawks)
a gang (turkeys)
a wisp (snipes)
a squadron (pelicans)
a confusion (warblers)
a wake (buzzards)
an asylum (loons)
a constellation (starlings)
a quarrel (sparrows)
a drumming (woodpeckers)

oh yes, there are many more.  i'd love to see your favorite(s) left in the comments.
Steve (:

How pleasant to know Mr. Kiko
Whose nose is remarkably big—
Whose soul blazoned with a poetry freckle—
Whose black hair resembles a wig—
He who cometh from Uganda—
He who most of his poetry all to his lass—
Though some say, "such, such propaganda"—
But to Him as pure as green of grass.

How pleasant to know Mr. Kiko
Who sleepeth late in the dead of night
Gazing about ancient star's glow
That ever beam long and bright—
Bright—but not as his lass's limpid eyes
Bestowed never upon seraphim above—
Though some say—"such, such lies
Of a swain drownded in a pool of lurve."


©Kikodinho Edward Alexandros
Jumeirah, Dubai. 13th.Feb.2018.

I didn’t know it at the time
The bench seemed more a subject
A reminder to sit and look

Ease one’s load
Reflect upon the day
Reach for plumbs unexplored

Years later the memories were revived
The day we saw the bench

She and they
Strolled leisurely
Quaint small exhibits of musty furniture
The rickety interior of the old stone manor

Please, can you take our picture?
Here.  Use my phone.

We were on our way home
Through the garden path
Unflowered in the early winter’s dusk
Brisk but not too chilly.  The cold would come later.

Waiting, alone, I chanced a shot
The composition was
Just OK.  My fans said “good”.  I, “no not”.

I now recall the view
From behind the porch
Looking upward at the stained
Glass dormer
Halfway between the house and the bench

I remember that day
When I saw her.
When I was able to see her.

i walked across Spain

800km

and i thought that would do it.

apparently, it wasn't far enough...

If it were to only rest upon my hands and breathe through my life..
to posses what others view when they smile fondly on their past
instead..
I feel velvet scars rising
forming into reminders;
my dreams slept were only nightmares
my dreams awake were only mirrors to night
the only one to hold me was my dead teddy bear
cold, stale, mildewed from my tears
suicide preached upon, with words of parents
A happy childhood is all I asked for..

Sometimes mountains can be put up to make our lives harder.
Sometimes it may feel like you only have a pick-axe to get through.
Some mountains though, are made to be conquered.
You have the heart of a warrior and can't be stopped.
There is a light so great in you, that however strong the darkness gets, you will always shine in the dark like the moonlight.
That fire in you will never burn out.
You've made it this far and keep getting stronger.
There will only ever be one person like you.
Don't ever be afraid to be yourself.
The road to happiness, starts with being happy in yourself.

Is there only one way to describe what it means to be home?
Some say a house is only a home if there is a mother to talk to at the end of the day
Others believe that a house is only complete if the silence is replaced with a child’s laughter and barking dogs
But to me home means coming to you
Your eyes serve as the windows to show me all that is beautiful in the world
To gain sight of all that I am still ignorant about
Your body serves as the four walls to protect me from the unknown dangers that permeates the air
Shield me from thunder and rain
Save me from the dark and bad dreams
Your arms serve as the door to protect all that is important including my honor
Your heart serves as the room inside this house
A room for one
Where the walls are papered with memories of us
The floors are made from all that flowers you have given me
The furniture built from our dreams and desires
Electricity runs on your love for me
So I hope it never goes out
The best part is that only I have the key
So pucker up and let me in!