As the blackbird flies these autumn gusts

On the bridge across the steel track and cable

Under grey block gabled sky

Wind high and blustering like a crisis bitten lush

I saw a blackbird fly.

Spilling arcs in the close storm's surf

Wings as shields stiff, neck locked he banks

Yaws and lifts like string snapped kite

Skates swift down wild waves unseen.

I saw a blackbird blown.

No compass in the colourless wash

Yellow beak unfollowed, sky and land

One sphere to its eye he dives,

Like fletched dart, black fleck

In swilled glass of medicine

For dirty streets, it dives again.

Not play. Taut against cloud's taunts 

And laughs, stiff agency betrays the joy 

Of sport. Once caught and slips, caught and slips so light, 

The current, like a skateboard from a pipe and vaunts 

These vaults a spinning top, an upward thrust.

Tell me Blackbird, I must know for true

Is my muse's heart like you?