The not so common pigeon

When we reached the top of
the hill at the intersection of 
Congress and High the
traffic light turned red

and I saw them.

The pigeons.

Rock pigeons,
also known as common
pigeons.

Twenty or thirty of them
dropping from the ledge of the
five story building on the
edge of the park across
the street.

Together they soared,
turned, dipped, and
sailed 

like an orchestra in flight
under the direction
of an unseen conductor
whose baton lifted them 
higher, higher ... and higher 

still,
until they landed on the ledge 
of a building on the other
side of the park.

The common pigeon.

As captivating as a murmuration
of swallows and as iridescent
as the hummingbird, the magpie,
and the peacock.