| Revolt of the pigeons |
| It is not a quiet city. Everywhere else the pigeons coo and strut and go about their normal everyday lives preening their reflections in puddles always busy, seeking out the most prominent statues on which to roost and brood � but not on this one street, not where the falcon�s image perpetually stoops not where the dark sleek silhouette seeks out weakness and exposure. O, we�ve tried to do something about it all of us counselled together under the balcony�s flags but only came up with another bell which is fine by those who don�t live here but the Great Pigeon knows we have too many of those already � So we continue to lie low under the balconies, exiles from our own street and hope that � that creature � goes away when he realises we aren�t that stupid. Mother? What is that shape so high up? Hush, child, lie low, maybe he didn�t hear you � you young ones are so daring it frightens me. But the other pigeons in the other streets laugh, and snatch from the two-feets without caring � they don�t worry about tomorrow. O my little one, they live in free streets, they don�t have the dark shape hovering above them. The youngsters, they have no respect � you know what they tried today? A bunch of them flew upwall to see how close they could tease that creature lucky it didn�t see them before one of them clipped his wings against the wall didn�t quite dash his reckless brains on the street but he won�t be flying for a while � and he had the nerve to ask me what we were doing about the problem! As if he didn�t know about the great Mobbing of five springs ago I served in that mob before ever he was hatched that�s where I got this stiff neck joint of mine storm�s coming up � It�s okay, dear, I�ll get you some of that hot suet � Hen! do you think I am a hatchling? I can take perfectly good care of myself. Odd thing about that young daredevil, though � he said it was pulling the building behind it. We are met here today to try the case of this bachelor cock from Falcon Street he claims he has seen our problem close up and as he passed it and flew above it vanished and then reappeared, flat but did not move at all. Jury, how do you find? We find the defendant guilty of heresy (Eppur si plana faciem) There is no falcon we cry from the darkened street and outside they hear our claims it is only a flat metal image you cannot banish us all when the outside streets know the truth. Ring the bell, brothers and sisters! Come roost on the high building, on the metal idol which we fears so long. Come see the streets from this lofty perch and the other streets and the other streets of which we did not dream � Shall we visit them now? We are free. |
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| � 2003 Kyle Altis. All rights reserved. |
| Note: The intended meaning of the Latin is "And still it is flat" (per an inverse Galileo). My Latin can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I know the declension is incorrect. If you know the correct form, please let me know? Thanks greatly! - KA |