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Reading Signs Poem Summary

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Upon first reading of Reading Signs it evokes strange imagery of a peculiar man licking stones for some unfathomable reason. But it soon becomes clear the “he” is a gull. Specifically a juvenile gull.
Herring gulls will pick up stones, carry them into the air, then drop them and swoop to catch them before they hit the water. Gulls also regularly pick up shells and drop them from a height in order to break them open to look for food. If a gull is doing this with stones it most likely means it is a juvenile gull learning how to do this practice with stones.
Once you become aware of what the poem is about it evokes truly sad images of a small bird trying to learn how to gather food but unable to do so because the stones on the beach are covered

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