Bat

Honour’s due to the bat.

Before the hang-glider

(daring it earlier and much more skilfully)

here’s one mammal that

took off into the air,

taught itself to fly,

fly properly like a bird.

Twittering light-scared thing,

blind but unfalteringly

aware of its black way,

out from its hide-out, in,

giving obstacles space,

sensitive certainty.

Honour this radar, this

contrived effective wing.