That bird singing outside that window
early bird, late bird
bird dreaming of fandango
late night soirees on some veranda

he is remembering St Lucia, the Antilles
a fisherwoman’s ballad of the sea
light is streaming through her net
net full of singing sardines
and a hot mouth conch thinking

he’s the business but who
later that day becomes lambi
for 60 EC dollars down by the waterfront
where the cruise ships slip easy into blue

Maggie Harris www.maggieharris.co.uk