Homing Pigeons

Round white clouds roll slowly above the housetops,
Over the clear red roofs they flow and pass.
A flock of pigeons rises with blue wings flashing,
Rises with whistle of wings, hovers an instant,
And settles slowly again on the tarnished grass.

Conrad Aiken
The House Of Dust: Part 02: 05: Retrospect

Before, when I saw a flock of pigeons dodging and darting in the shallow skies of San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, I thought, "Those might be Andy's pigeons."

Today, when that familiar rustling and slapping breaks up the murmur of traffic, and I look up to see a many colored flock, I wince. I fear that habitual thought might pop up and I'll again have to admit that they are not his pigeons; that he no longer keeps birds.

But in my daytime dreaming, these are the birds he set free this morning and they're only looking for a reason to circle back home.