There were flocks of hungry Pellies
breaking into deli’s.
They filled up their beaks
with enough food for weeks
and returned when they’d emptied their bellies.
image from Pixabay
Pellies (Limerick) by Graham Seal
1 CommentTag Archives: pelicans
Fields in Flood by Alys Jackson
Leave a commentFields in Flood
For weeks now the wind has been keening,
cascading its tears into creeks
sobbing small streams into torrents,
the torrents now springing small leaks.
Around us the rivers are rising,
wet-fisted they break sodden banks,
huddling the sheep in their paddocks,
drowning the grass round their shanks.
Floodwaters bury the highway
choking the freight and the fields
and pelicans thunder the sky-way,
casting their rods and their reels.
Alys Jackson
Alys said: I wrote this poem after visiting NSW recently and hearing about the devastating floods that cut off the Newell Highway. The farmer I spoke to told me that hundreds of pelicans appeared from nowhere to feed on the fish in the floodwaters.
High Tea by Monty Edwards
Leave a commentHigh Tea
When pelicans are flying low,
With open beaks they say “Hello”
To any fish they gladly see
That could provide a tasty tea,
For like a furry flippered seal,
They do enjoy a fishy meal.
So after taking time to greet,
These hungry birds prepare to eat,
(While under beaks, there hangs a store
For extra, should they want some more).
Then up they rise to sail the sky:
Their beaks too full to say “Goodbye”!
Monty Edwards
Monty says: I wanted to get both greetings and goodbyes into a single poem, but the result promised to be rather long. I tried using a short telephone call for content, but wasn’t satisfied with the outcome, so contrived a brief encounter of familiar creatures at the seaside.
Pelican Manners by Nadine Craneburgh
Leave a commentPelican Manners
Get in line
wait your turn
The early bird gets the
worm, or in this case, the fish
Schools play hide and seek
underwater, as well as
on land, and I was
first, so I am ‘it’.
Get in line, wait
your turn, or I
might eat you
instead!
Nadine Craneburgh
Nadine says: I imagined the sort of conversation that might happen in that situation – although the pictured pelicans look very well-mannered.
Pelicans by Bridh Hancock
Leave a commentPelicans
I have often seen these fine big birds,
Above the waves or in the sky,
Lords of the shores and the upper air.
They certainly know their worth, they do,
These fishers who seek a beak-full of fish.
They don’t say much, as I can tell,
But fisher-folk know them very well
As exceedingly skilful and persistent.
Oh yes, they know their worth, alright,
These seekers of stealth with a fondness for fish.
Bridh Hancock
Queue by Sally Odgers
Leave a commentQueue
Kudos to the queue – not cue
(for that’s a hint or hit for billiard ball)
Kudos to the queue – not coupe
(for that’s a shock surprise for city hall)
Kudos to the queue – not coo
(for that’s what doves and grannies tend to do)
Kudos to the queue – not Que
(For that’s a Tassie river … yes, it’s true!)
Kudos to the queue – you knew
This had to end and now the end is due
But kudos to the queue – a row
Of sailor’s hair or pelicans you know.
Sally Odgers