Swift Apartments

We've learnt to seize the time, and grab those few
warm moments before the sun decides to hide
in clouds or sink behind the next-door roof,
hear the blackbird splashing on the pond-side
as if he's not bathed for days, smell elderflower --
and then - look up! Hurrah! The swifts are back.
At first a few high specks, then more - and lower
still, and never still, these Xs of black
swoop past our tiles, between the chimney stacks.
Excited by the dusk, off out with mates,
like teens on aerial joyrides, in tight packs,
they circle and jostle, out to celebrate:
except those special pairs whom we receive
and welcome once more to nest beneath our eaves.