Phoenix

Oval black bottomless pools
Conceal millennia’s of knowledge
Intimidating in their unearthly hold
Surrounded by the palest yellow of plumage
Before turning to that of a candle flame
Yet faintly golden in the soft glow

Brow arched and near white
Flows back into a small summit
Bowing down in the centre
Before rising up to join the other
Framing a streak of crimson

The flash of crimson tapers down to the gold
Of an arched razor-sharp beak
Hard as diamond yet soft as silk to touch
Lower beak less curved as it leads down to the yellow breast
Curving under in a flawless hue of honeysuckle yellow

The streak of crimson fades down the nape
Becoming the colour of sun burnt oranges
Paling to the honeysuckle yellow as it cambers at the sides
But becoming a violent slashing of colour across the wings
Darkening then paling over again

Like tail darkened to a fiery scarlet
Then the most vivid yellow ever seen
Like it was dipped just at the end
But the tail unlike the wings
Narrows brusquely before dividing into five

Long and sweeping
It falls behind to languidly rest
Brushing to and through like a broom
Widened into diamonds not unlike a peacocks tail
But far more striking

The beak tucks under to pull at imaginary feathers
For never will they be out of place
Instead it is done in hedonistic pleasure
To show off a reborn beauty
Before it grows dim only to be born over yet again

Leisurely straightening before pushing from dagger sharp talons
To soar up against a complementary sun