Gert Strydom
The Hadeda-ibises
The flock of Hadeda-ibises decent
and glitter bronze
in an indecent purple-copper sheen
in the sharp summer sun in the garden
and like a group of well armed ancient hoplites
they do form a formation
as they gather together
while their long sharp spear-like bills
slam down into the soft ground
to irradiate all snails, earthworms,
king-crickets and the larvae
of moths and beetles
that they do find
and when a human being startles them
they flap their huge wings
and loudly cry out “haa-haa-de-dah”
before rising with great strain into the air.
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