And on the way home
stopping in front of the bay,
which goes as far as forever
as far as the end of the world
I could see wild swans
but only from afar
and some white birds in a row
sometimes time is long
but life is short
sometimes time is long
so better go home 
approximate translation from French expressions with the word « aile » (wing)
battre de l’aile (go to the dogs)
couper les ailes (à quelqu’un) (go to the dogs)
à tire d’aile (flapping its wings hard)
avoir du plomb dans l’aile (to be in jeopardy, to be cast into doubt)
prendre sous son aile (to take under one’s wing)
cold birds cutting
the wet and grey sky of
the changing climate
*first version published in 2019
we would be extremely cautious, in the face of fait accompli, be honest and say nothing grave or true. Clenching our teeth would be totally fine.
*posted in July 2019, reviewed in July 2020