A courteous bow
Strut, abreast they walk
With puffed, pumped chest, they talk
All with manners at this early part
While waiting for a sign to start
Full starch, back and forth they pace
Feigning manners and grace, until
With a gentle sloping arch of golden tail on icy ground
The rapier black and brown soft trails to demarcate and bound
Grand stand and boast
In jewelled and shiny coats
Puff and ruffle, intent and show
And it begins – crouch low
Jump high
Feet and legs to opponent’s chest extend
Push and serve a blow, then land to defend
Another turn around the ring
Cock heads bobbed, out-stretched wing
Beady eyes, take size the foe
Scrape low and here we go
A feathered flap, lift hard and haul
A clash of claw
A civilised brawl
A pant and puff of breath from beak
Hangs clouds in frozen air, it speaks
Of old ways, rites and honour
Of settling scores with brutal glamour
But, gentlemen of landed gentry know rules that we do not
For just as soon as battle starts, then it is stopped
The ritual has been played
A settlement now made
Who victorious stands, I do not know
But I watch as side-by-side, they go.