Walking to the sounds: days 50 to 56

Day 50 Tuesday February 23rd

inner south 8 minutes
The Drive Moor Crescent Great North Road Grandstand Road
Wind     sound is tossed   and shredded      by the gusts
the skylarks sings     above the gale
Jackdaws stay low       dogwalkers wrapped against the weather

Day 51 Wednesday February 24th

inner northeast 15 minutes
The Poplars Roseworth Avenue The Grove Yonder Cottage
Fencing      contains the laurel bush gloom
The bursting    twisted     tracery of tree bark
A dog sniffs   the gate post
Cyclist chat      within the pulse of traffic

Day 52 Thursday February 25th

outer west 7 minutes
The Drive Westfield Drive Oakfield Road
In an old stone wall    a hole       for a nest-hunting blue tit
A jackdaw       rides the arc of the wind

Day 53 Friday February 26th

outer southwest 6 minutes
The Drive Moor Place woodlands Oaklands Avenue Oaklands 
 Grandstand Road Town Moor
A skylark murmers     reluctant to sing in February sunshine
Flows of people     crisscross the moor
Jackdaw and common gull stand      as crows lumber into the wind

Day 54 Saturday February 27th

inner west 13 minutes
The Poplars High Street Graham Park Road
A heraldic turn    atop gateposts     lions hold shields
A once gateway bricked back into a wall
In a Range Rover      white hair uncombed      eyes staring
A woodpecker drums on a chimney       a thrush limbers up for spring

Day 55 Sunday February 28th

outer northeast 11 minutes
The Poplars Roseworth Avenue The Grove Moor Road North 
 St Nicholas Avenue Rectory Grove Church Road Church Lane
Sparrow chatter   across small front gardens   behind low walls
Cars parked   on the south side of the lane   a lone walker passes by
Lost mortar below roof tiles      a sparrow flies to the hole

Day 56 Monday March 1st

outer southeast 8 minutes
The Drive High Street Little Moor Highbury Brentwood Avenue Fairfield Road
The dawn-lit moon hangs      in the cold of the frosted dawn
Motorway sound   is unrelenting 
Sparrows chat and robin sings     inside the traffic’s seething