Baby, It's Cold Outside

You won’t always be content living
among the greenery while
mummy keeps an eye on you. You’ll
grow up and learn about survival
in a world that can be cruel.

You’ll develop a taste for chips,
and fish, and batter.
In fact, for just about anything
that’s on offer.

You’ll learn how to harass humans
when you’re in need of a meal.
And how to shit on them from above.
And how to fight your brothers and sisters
and scare them off.

Litter bins, you’ll find
are full of scraps of food
that visitors have left behind.

You’ll squawk and fill the air
with seagull sound.
You’ll soar and swoop,
swoop and soar
while keeping an eye on the ground
in case there’s a morsel to be found.

You’ll perch on signs that you can’t read.
Those signs tell us that it’s you
we’re not supposed to feed.

But that’s your future.
At the moment we like you.
Right now, in your fluffy, feathery suit
- you’re cute.

Banksy