A falcon takes off from its nest
At the base of the palace spire
and the sun will soon be up.
It started early today.

The tawny owl hurries back
to get to its nest before dawn.
She needs to hunt a lot
to feed her young in the hollow.

Weary after a whole night’s hunt
she spots a salon with costly clothes
and very expensive mascots.
Next come two Żabka chain shops
and Stokrotka, all with green logos.

The falcon flies above the board:
“Shop closing sale” – but birds
cannot read letters, nor guess,
besides, he’s much too high.
Down there, a dog walks with a man.
It smelled the bird and barked
albeit half-heartedly
and the owl is all weary
after the hard night’s hunt.

Dark and grey, down below,
An empty school lies in silence.
The owl now spots the falcon
soaring up, far to her left.

They take their shifts as usual
up in the sky, which now turns
reddish pink though still cold.