Nesting 1970

my friend was telling me all about the days he used
to go nesting in Vassel park
a place a stranger would call Snuff Mills

he told me about a loch with an island

St.Georges park
covered with Mallard nests
the depth was waist high
uniformed all but for the deep hole traps

one minute your wading to the eggs
the next your drowning

another place for eggs was Magpie Lane
light blue eggs
miles outside Vassel park
right out in the country
thousands of nests
greyish brown eggs

if you went through Frenchy there was a bank
that was the place for Kingfishers
you had to be sure there were no rats in the nests
before puting your hand through

light blue
falling out of trees
in pursuit of woodpecker's
eggs