They call her Milly <br />next door, <br />but we think Milly <br />is rather silly. <br />She’ll always be <br />Miss P to us. <br /> <br />They knocked <br />round lunchtime yesterday <br />excited <br />‘Milly’s back <br />and guess what? ’ <br /> <br />We crept up the path <br />(tinder dry after summer heat) <br />and spied her <br />wandering casually <br />and maternally <br />among the dead azaleas <br />with three young chicks <br />in tow - <br /> <br />Joy of joys! <br />(we thought she'd flown) . <br /> <br />We watched <br />enchanted <br />as they wolfed <br />the crumbs of bread - <br />hungry it would seem <br />and completely at peace <br />with their world. <br /> <br />We spoke about <br />‘last year’ <br />and the lone chick <br />who lingered… not long enough. <br /> <br />And shared a prayer <br />that the cats, <br />the kookaburras <br />and the currawongs <br />might leave them alone this time.<br /><br />Alison Cassidy<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/peacock-story-9-joy-of-joys/
