SKOLLY BIRDS IN THE SEA CITY

SKOLLY BIRDS IN THE SEA CITY

Skolly birds

and the seagull cries

of small boys selling newspapers

                             on the street

                                     corners

               where the people cross

                      and the cars cross

                  and the sounds cross

           bent by the street corners.

Sounds float up the cliffs of offices

like seagull wings

bent by the corners

and harshly distorted

like seagull cries.

The engines are in endless motion

          like the sea below the cliffs

                        muttering forever

                                       caught

                                       turned

                              concentrated

                   on the street corners

hushed away

               and SUDDENLY ROARING.

Movement and sound eating away

                            at the street corners

           gnawing away at the corners

                                             of my mind.

Seagull thoughts slide stiffly on the wind

                                    round the office

                                                     cliff

                                                     city

                                                  corner

                                                                and out to sea.

Copyright Ruth Hartley 1966

 

 

Written when I worked on the sixth floor of an office block in Cape Town. sSkolly birds are seagulls. Skollies are thieves.