Orkney Bird Song

by Ãine King

Today I am all birds
spread eagle-eyed
wheeling over Westray
high as a kite

I am skuas at Skaill 
taking terns 
storming the petrels

I am larking in the long grass

Lone as a heron
Lean and long-legged at low tide.

I am 
sky-rolling stone-singing 
ravens in Rackwick

A volley of gannets
hailing into Hoxa
spearing spume
in the whales’ wake 
 
I am a summer shower of swallows
whispering over wheatears
wing-weaving the stones
ringing Brodgar

A crowstep murder

A galaxy of starlings gathering dusk

I am all the notes of the song
the thrush full-throats to the sunrise

And a wee wren
window-struck
breast-bruised and beating softly
in the palm of my hand
a moment
before 
flickering away.