Gulls

My father was a birder. Gulls were not his birds. But he taught me something about gulls and language: there is no such thing as a seagull. There is only the gull.

Seagull is sentimental. Holidaytime and anthropomorphic storybooks. Gull sticks in the gullet.

August and the gulls are nearing the end of their breeding season. By day they spread through space; crowd the pavement upright alongside smaller plumper pigeons; crouch…