The Arctic Tern Poem by Raymond Farrell

If you were looking
From among the Birds
For a candidate
Known for endurance
You would not go far wrong
By picking the Arctic Tern.

The yearly round trip migration
From the Arctic to the Antarctic
And back again
A distance of approximately 71,000 Kilometres
Places this unassuming bird
In a category all its own.

Noted for its distinct
Repetitive flying pattern
Of flap, flap, glide
The Tern has perfected the art
Of long distance migration.

The Arctic Tern may not have
The prowess of a Bald Eagle
Or the speed of a Peregrine Falcon
But its feats of distance flying
Make it a champion
In its own right.