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GIERZWALUWEN
Cypselus Apus
“Zie, zie, zie,
zie! zie! zie!
zie!! zie!! zie!!
              zie!!!”
tieren de
zwaluwen,
twee- driemaal 
              drie,
zwierende en
gierende:
“Niemand, die . . .
              die
bieden den
stiet ons zal!
Wie? wie? wie?? 
              wie???”

Piepende en
kriepende,
zwak en ge- 
              zwind;
haaiende en
draaiende,
rap als de 
              wind;
wiegende en
vliegende,
vlug op de 
              vlerk,
spoeien en
roeien ze
ringsom de 
              kerk.

Leege nu
zweven ze, en
geven ze 
              bucht;
hooge nu
hemelt hun'
vlerke, in de 
              lucht:
amper nog
hoore ik . . . en,
die 'k niet en 
              zie,
lijvelijk
zingen ze:
“Wie??? wie?? wie? 
              wie . . .”
SWIFTS
Cypselus apus
“See, see, see,
see! see! see!
see!! see!! see!!
                   see!!!”
hear hear these
weeping swifts
twice or thrice 
                   three,
sweeping and 
weeping there:
“Do we see . . .
                   see
anyone
we can’t flee?
We, we? we?? 
                   we???”

Peeping and
cheeping, lithe
and disci- 
                   plined;
wheeling and 
reeling as
quick as the 
                   wind;
lifting and
drifting 
so swift on the 
                   wing,
going and
rowing round
spires they 
                   swing.

Down they are
gliding, soon
widening their 
                   flight;
skyward are
waving their
wings in the 
                   height:
scarcely I
hear these . . . I
no longer 
                   see,
singing still
vividly:
“We??? we?? We? 
                   We . . .”