The Lay of the Swallow

"Africa 5" © 2016 David Prashker

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My wings are chains that bind me to the sky
   but sky is endless and my chains are wind

I made my nest among the stone turrets of Jerusalem
   and dined on juice and shishlik
      and sang for those
who marvelled to find a swallow in the city

I made my nest among the concrete towers of Herzliya
   and dined on caviar and breadcrumbs
      and sang for those
who bought me a gold cage and combed my feathers

I made my nest among the clay-brick roofs of Nablus
   and dined on worms - when I could find some -
      and sang
         and sat up dreaming late into the night
and longed to fly southwards for the winter

I flew to Cairo and looked down on the pyramids
I flew to Barbados and looked down on the surf
I flew to Buenos Aires and looked down on the pampas
I flew to Cape Town and looked down on the blacks

I made my nest among the ivory palaces of Taba
   and sat all morning looking at the women
      and the women were naked
         and very beautiful

And I languished in the sun
   and slept and swam
      and drank iced water
and dined on prawn and lobster
   and sang for the young women
      and nested in their hair

In autumn I fly northwards into windy skies
   to make my nest where no one calls me trespasser

My wings are chains that bind me to the sunlight
   but sun polishes my chains and sky is endless

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