Herring Gull
I watched the seagull
strut across the beach,
gunslinger walk,
John Wayne personified.
Sized up the swan,
decided first
to make his point,
and then discretion
in the face
of superior aggression;
backed off
and walked away
but the strut remained.
Did you see that,
how I showed him
I could almost hear him say.
November 2, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Mmmmmm love it…esp Gunslinger walk….I can see it all….wonderful
November 3, 2011 at 10:09 am
*Smile*
The herring gulls do do that walk don’t they.
David
November 2, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Oh David, this is even more wonderful second time round!
You paint such a vivid image, there is no work required to picture this gull! (He is like many people too!!)
And because I have seen and heard you mimicking ducks and gulls many times, it is all the more meaningful and entertaining for me!
Love you lots
Christine
xxx
November 3, 2011 at 10:11 am
Thank you Christine,
One of my pleasures when I go to Whitby is my communion with the herring gulls 🙂
Love you lots
David
xxx
November 2, 2011 at 1:50 pm
I can see that gull….he was “counting coup” as the Native Americans here did.
November 3, 2011 at 10:12 am
What a wonderful phrase – ‘counting coup’.
I had never heard it before so googled it.
Thank you Elaine for introducing me to it
David
November 2, 2011 at 3:06 pm
I love the bluff and bluster of gulls! However, they are clearly not entirely stupid. Great write.
November 3, 2011 at 10:14 am
Ah Jonnia, I do know that you love the gulls for I remember a previous comment from you on a gull poem 🙂
and they are certainly not stupid!! 🙂
David
November 2, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Smiling big! To me this is the best I have read in a while!!! I can picture the whole episode!! Hugs!!
November 3, 2011 at 10:15 am
Thank you Sandy,
I return to this poem once in a while when I want to give myself a smile
Hugs to you too
David
November 2, 2011 at 4:43 pm
David, very nice i like the John Wayne walk.
As you know the water works has a lot of swans and if a gull comes any where near ,they turn round and the gull’s away.
November 3, 2011 at 10:16 am
Thank you Harry,
Untrustworthy birds – swans!!
David
November 2, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Yep, seen a few gulls and a few people act just like that!
Hope the e-mail thing is working ok now, David. By the way, one of the original 199 steps at Whitby was paid for by an Elizabeth and Tom Stanforth. I’m named after that Elizabeth … x
November 3, 2011 at 10:18 am
Wonderful,
I now have a new claim to fame – I know someone who was named after one of the 199 steps!!! 🙂
The email thing is working now – they turn up in a strange place, but they do turn up 🙂
David
November 2, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Hi David,
LOL This poem captures the arrogance of that seagull very well, they love to be boss! Good thing you told me it is not a metaphor *big grin*
I tried to think of the actor they remind me of, but John Wayne, as you mentioned, had the same attitude in his films, all about the territory that they need to keep for themselves. I like that last bit too 🙂 My guess is Herring Gulls are the same as our zeemeeuw. I will find out!
Your observations are always spot on, and that last part really made me chuckle. It is great to read these poems about Whitby and it is all part of the pre fun! I can do about 80 steps now without panting, will keep pracitizing! Maybe we can do them together.
Arohanui 🙂
Ina
November 3, 2011 at 10:25 am
*Big Smile*
What a wonderful word – ‘zeemeeuw’ – it has such a feel to its sound – perfect for a herring gull – do let me know 🙂
I hope you remember the poem when you get to Whitby – the gulls are very much part of the experience. 🙂
Doing the 199 steps together would be to be looked forward to 🙂
Love
David
November 2, 2011 at 10:29 pm
An absolute joy from beginning to end. Beautifully observed and constructed, and it made me smile – what more could anyone ask? Thank you.
November 3, 2011 at 10:26 am
Thank you Nick,
If I have made you smile then I am delighted.
David
November 3, 2011 at 1:26 am
Hi David,
*BIG SMILE*
I still love this. It’s a perfect poem in every way. Your observations are just so spot on and it always amuses me that the attitude of gulls is the same world over. 🙂
I really love the lines about the swan. Having rather aggressive swans here as well and I can very much see this scene. Come nesting season here even the ducks gve them a wide berth!
Thankyou for the smile. 🙂
Arohanui
(((BSH)))
and K’s OTC
Tikarma
xoxox
November 3, 2011 at 10:39 am
Hi Tikarma,
I get great pleasure from knowing that this poem can still prompt you to a big smile.
It was one of my earliest poems and, in a way, set a pattern for a lot of the poems which have followed.
I love it when I am in a good enough place to observe that closely what is going on around me.
And, as I said to Harry, swans whilst beautiful are not to be trusted. Bit like some people really 🙂
I hope you are having a good week
Arohanui
(((BSH)))
and K’sOTC
David
xoxox
November 3, 2011 at 2:18 pm
I could just see this interaction. You painted this moment with sublime and lively clarity!
November 3, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Thank you,
I am delighted to have you drop in
David
November 3, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Is it bad that I imagined the seagull in a Stetson hat? d=
And yes, apparently I know too many seagulls in my life than I care to admit.
Love this!
November 3, 2011 at 4:37 pm
*Laughing Out loud*
A stetson is absolutely perfect for a herring gull.
I do suspect I would rather have seagulls in my life than swans.
Seagulls I find to be rather straightforward birds whereas swans are all outward show and inward bad temper!! 🙂
David
November 4, 2011 at 3:18 pm
I like it, very enjoyable!
Yes, makes you think, – that seagulls are the same anywhere in the world, – still very much like people too 🙂
Love
Vera & Karley
November 6, 2011 at 11:29 am
*Big Smile*
Thank you Vera – the swans and the seagulls are around us all the time in our every day life. And, as you say, the same anywhere in the world 🙂
Love
David
November 4, 2011 at 3:37 pm
I know Whitby and the steps very well, and have met those gulls – and lots of people exactly like them too! And wouldn’t the world be a better place if more people acted like the gull in your beautifully observed poem?
November 6, 2011 at 11:30 am
Thank you BH,
I always talk to the gulls when I go to Whitby.
Surprising how much we can learn from them if we treat them with respect 🙂
David
November 5, 2011 at 3:26 pm
lol …. made me smile! goes well with my coffee this morning. 🙂 love how you capture essence of a scene and make it like being-there.
November 6, 2011 at 11:31 am
I am delighted Eileen to provide you with a smile to go with your morning coffee.
And thank you
David
November 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
This is great fun and flows beautifully – well done again David!
I showed it to my wife who laughed, said she loved it, and then added: “that’s males the world over!”.
I regret showing it to her now … 🙂
November 6, 2011 at 11:56 am
*Laughing out loud*
A very perceptive lady your wife
David
November 6, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Hi,
from now on, if i see a herring gull with its waddling walk it will be wearing a stetsun.
luv
Peta
November 7, 2011 at 1:07 pm
*Laughing out Loud*
just so!!!!
Thank you Peta
I hope you are well. Did you get your garden cleared yet?
Love
David
November 7, 2011 at 11:40 pm
a work in progress!
November 8, 2011 at 10:10 am
🙂
November 6, 2011 at 5:37 pm
GREAT WRITE DAVID. I COULD VISUALIZE THIS SO CLEARLY…& HAVE SEEN SIMILAR SCENARIOS MYSELF (:
November 7, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Thank you Jeff,
There will be a lot of those gulls where you live I imagine
David
November 11, 2011 at 5:00 am
I enjoyed the personification of the gull. I know that gull very well on the beach and in person.
November 11, 2011 at 11:26 am
🙂 those gulls are all around us Cathy, not only on our beaches
David
November 11, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Never underestimate the grit of a gull!!!! 😀
November 12, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Big 🙂