Pelicans (Italian Sonnet) Poem by Gert Strydom

At twilight during that first grey part of the day
the rising sun reflected on the water's translucency
while white pelicans stood for moments in serene dignity
while a mother coot did on the water with her chicks play

before with cormorants and crested grebes they did swim away
and the pelicans in a open circle did swim and with a inborn efficiency
were driving the fishes into the shallow water with great adaptability
and in a group they did feed and were eager for the fray

but much later they did swim right up to the shore,
did their feathers slowly and thoroughly ply,
stood like ballet dancers one-legged arabesque
and there were many of them maybe fifty or more
who took with flapping wings with an almost roaring cry to the sky,
reminding me of freakish-featured gryphons that are mailed grotesque.

© Gert Strydom