Guest Poem by Terry Sherwood

Terry Sherwood hails from and lives in rural Northamptonshire and has come to writing poetry late in life. His previous main creative outlet was painting and printmaking. His work has been published in Acumen, Allegro, Blithe Spirit, Green Ink, Orbis, Pennine Platform, Presence, Reach and The Cannon's Mouth. Upcoming in Dream Catcher, Dreich and The Seventh Quarry. This poem is from Acumen 112.

Warning Signs

gracing sea and coastland: kittiwake    herring gull    puffin
gracing wetlands: curlew    whimbrel    lapwing
gracing grassland: fieldfare    yellowhammer    skylark
gracing waterlands: goldeneye    smew    Bewick’s swan
gracing homes and gardens: starling    house martin    house sparrow
all are canaries in coal mines

(from 71 red-listed birds in: Birds of Conservation Concern; 2021)