Holland Haikus

Abstract

Winter Birds A seagull lands on the ice, he slips, staggers for a moment, then calmly walks along. Jackdaws in the snow, blacker than black, as if they’ve become crows. Along the bare branch the wren is looking for what is no longer there. Geese in flight, an arrow that descends wherever there is water still. Floating in the ice-hole perhaps the birds are thinking of warm feet. Swarming seagulls. They climb, descend and ask: where is Roland Holst? Between the swarms of ducks, grouse, coots, jackdaw and gulls suddenly two swans. Coots leave tracks on melting snow. They write the verdict of the thaw. Now the snow is fading black birds are pecking in the regained earth. Spring Birds A seagull fights with a heron. The seagull dives, cries; heron ducks, bites. Wing versus beak. The nest is slowly growing, branches sprouting from the water. The coot is already on the nest. Geese on the lake are on their way, but where to? They don't know. The moorhen bolts away, the coot remains, deliberating until I come near to it. The Cormorant is lost, is searching for open waters in a ditch in Leiderdorp. Summer Birds Slowly it dies away, the song of the songbirds. A crow is still screeching. The last coots are still fiddling with their nests, hoping to increase. Birds become fat when the youngsters fly away and they are free again. Wherever the birds have been the plants proliferate until the fall. I remain silent and wait to see whether the autumn brings new life before the winter season. I see a magpie he stumbles, flies into a bush. He's scared of me. Chirping girls hopping in the rain and teasing each other. In the last movement a continuo ticks in: the end will follow soon. Autumn Birds An old bird stared at the world for a long time but became no wiser. Migratory birds are coming for a moment, are quickly gone again, just like us. Winged time: a swallow always on the way, there is no end point. A shaft of sunlight shoots through the morning mist and lights on diving gulls.

Authors 0

1. Author list not loaded yet.