Poem for today by Bob Kimmerling

Arts Richmond

Online - 01 June 2020

Blackbird

Blackbird sings shrill at night, before day's dawn,

not now drowned by traffic's rumble sound,

nor returning early morning flight from Costa's Benidorm

to Heathrow's duller, greyer ground. 

Now all is empty beach, and quieter lockdown street.

This strange unearthly morning still has only just begun,

has only just begun its start, is nowhere near complete.

And blackbird sits on hedge row top, or higher branch,

dark shadowed shape to rising glow.

And does he notice those below no longer make their way to work,

or turn the key where car is parked beside suburban curb? 

Has he found this finer voice now humankind has lost its choice

to mask this far sublimer task of glory choral sound?

So sweetly sung, so sweetly hung between each silent pause.    

It gains Creator's ear, soft ringing His applause,

while many sit in fear, shut still behind closed doors,

first hearing clear for many years this greater sound composed.

First hearing clear for many years: Creator's sound composed.

Bob Kimmerling April 2020

Bob is a recent poet since December 2019. Otherwise living in Richmond since 1981 and still very much engaged as chair of trustees of the Vineyard Community Centre and Richmond foodbank, and a minister of the Vineyard Life church.

Busy, but with sufficient pause for a family with grown up children and a young grandson in Spain, and of course, this newfound delight in writing two or three poems most weeks.