27 JUNE 1987, Page 40

That's You

It's good to see the gulls back.

I felt their lack - like a missing bit of mountain, a mysteriously withered tree - and long to acquire the knack of gull-speak: 'What poison made you pack it in? Persuaded you to flee to what unpolluted fountain?

Where?'

I watch the bright white caps, wind-whipped on blue, ice-clean.

When five suddenly soar, my voice lifts, too, from shore, gull-mewing at what I've seen: 'Hey! View halloo!

Where the hell've you been?

That's not white caps!

That's you!'

Elspeth Dune