ducks
on the moss green ditches
swallows
swirling 'cross red tiled roofs
church bells
ringing out on Pentecost
cats
running back and forth
zig and zag
along the towpath
chasing this and that
eyeing enviously
the coots, moorhens, ducks 
just out of reach
the bells awaken 
the dogs
in a cacophony
of barking

slowly
a barge smooths by
along the canal
with a huge flag
almost as big 
as the child waving

in the silence
or lack of it
in my consciousness
the birds take over 
from the bells
as coot
and coot
and baby coots
flotilla along
the youngest
just keeping up

the cats
have given up