The Missions of Gulls: and other verses

By Ted Lamb

Ted Lamb's bird poetry will delight everyone who loves the natural world. Personal recollections include a magical meeting with migrating nightingales while hitch-hiking through France and 'owly singalongs' enjoyed on dark nights. Swans are among his favorite birds...

Swan Majesty

Nothing so glorious as swans in flight
a vision heard as much as seen
as every long, strong quill is bent
to drive majestic shapes of purest white.

Nothing so wonderful as swans a-sail
with wings upstretched and scooping air
and heads held high and proud
to scud along black waters in a gale.

Nothing so at peace as swans asleep
heads under wings and rocking gently on the waves
dreaming of we know not what
while all extremities are tucked-in neat.

In this edition also there are more of Ted's poems, including an ill-fated intergalactic love affair, 'The Ballad of Sally Stardust', and a collection titled 'Other Space Junk' that introduces some out-of-this-world concepts such as the true universality of the universal wrench.

From 'Sally Stardust'

Sally stole a cruiser from the deep space park-lot
Blasted from the shadows of the moon's dark side
Bad-fingered the cop-ships
Lined up a star chart
Crashed the screaming engines into hyperdrive.

Some say Sally's lover was a gambler and a killer
Others just a victim, framed and without vice
Sally only knew him
As a lucked-out loner
Knew she had to follow in his endless flight.

Now she roams the space lanes, singing like an angel
Making a living while she keeps her hopes alive
She will never stay much
longer than an eye-blink
Moving on as swiftly as she first arrived.

Always just behind her lurk the silent watchers
Hoping she will lead them where her man can't hide
She can feel their presence
Dark and cold and evil
Knows she has to shake them or her sweetheart dies.

When a shooting star flares brightly in the twilight,
Mothers tell their children not to be afraid,
"See, it's Sally Stardust
Poor, lost Sally Stardust
Doomed to keep on searching til the end of days."

Someday you may see her, listen to her sweet voice
When you break your journey in some far rest bay
You will know it's Sally,
eyes so deep with sadness
But before the spell ends she'll be on her way.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BCSFF625
• ISBN13: 9798351544960
• Release Date: September 2022
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 58 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"