Here is my poem for Paul Brookes’ ekphrastic challenge. Artwork and poetry is here, on Paul’s blog.

Jackdaw

Who knows what the jackdaw sees,
a world shot with brilliance, jewels in the grass,
the quick flash of fish in an ornamental pool,
or is it beetled black and scuttling
between awkward grass stalks?

Jackdaw’s eye is round and unblinking,
what it sees is what is there.
No unicorns toss pink and flowing manes
in Jackdaw Land, no cloud-dragons
spit sunset fire across the sky.

Because eggs is eggs to Jackdaw,
life begins and ends in the round,
of a twig and sheep’s wool nest,
of a blue-speckled egg,
of a blue sea-changing eye.