Superb Fairy Wren and Willy by Agi Dobson

Agi Dobson is an immigrant from Hungary, English is her second language. When introduced to the classic English poets in Year 7, she became hooked and has been writing poetry ever since. Agi has written two commissioned school textbooks, worked as a journalist, in publicity and been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. She loves life in South Gippsland having moved to Korumburra ten years ago.

Superb Fairy Wren

A rising, strident

trill, trill, trill, trill

announces them

long before they’re seen, these

ping pong balls with feathers.

One, brilliant-blue-black

Spectacular

several fawn-and-brown

long, perky tails

cotton-thin legs

bounce, bounce, bounce

across the ground

take fright, and

fly in rapid bursts of speed

to disappear in brush or reed.

Soon a bright blue dot or brown

with upright tail, appears

looking this way then that

chirping, bounce, bounce

bouncing again across the ground.

WILLY

In the sky

             on the tree

Up he soars

           high and free

Black and white

                   Symphony

Aerial

         buffoonery

Over there

           back again

In the air

           down again

Flip of wing

             flick of tail

Willy Wagtail

           dives again.