Shetland Swop
I’ll swop you my wheatear
for your ringed plover,
my lapwing
for your rock pippet,
this bevy of seals
for your noisy hanging cliff-garden
of two thousand nesting guillemots.
If you can spare me two miles of pink thrift
I’ll give you a broadside
of tammie nouries and all my spare bonxies.
As for that plump rain-goose of yours
I’ll swop you
this sprig of marsh marigolds
and a hatful of eider chicks – do we have a deal?