‘It’s time to send the dove out.’
‘Oh no, my dear, there’s not a chance
of its finding anything. We must wait
till the next moon. Besides, what earth there is
will be soaked wet. For comfort’s sake
let’s keep to the Ark!’
‘We can’t stay here for ever, dear;
there’s building to be done once we’re ashore.
The dove must go again.’
‘Oh no, Father,’ cry the girls,
‘Our mother’s right; there’s too much mud,
and anyway the Ark is cosy.’
‘Nonsense, Dad!’ the boys shout.
‘Life is pleasant now we’ve fitted up
the Ark with billiards and a dartboard.’
‘The dove must go,’ and Noah takes
the fluttering pigeon in his hands,
and the wife shrieks, ‘You don’t consider
the feelings of your wife and family!’
But Noah opens a porthole, saying a blessing
as the bird first hesitates then takes the wind.
The family are silent, angry, frustrated.
If the dove came back
they would have to change their lives,
give up the settled huddle of the Ark,
start a new and possibly dangerous life.
‘But we would come alive,’ the father said;
‘Our world would be what God created for us
to plough and sow and reap and beautify.’
And as he spoke, there was a fluttering
outside the porthole. Noah opened it
to let the bird fly in.
‘Look, in his beak, a twig of olive!
‘My family, rejoice; God’s earth is back!’
His family did not respond.
They were not pleased..