When Pigs Fly

 

 

The phrase "when pigs fly" is an adynaton—a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility. The implication of such a phrase is that the circumstances in question will never occur. The phrase has been used in various forms since the 1600s as a sarcastic remark. Wikipedia

 

Someday,
when pigs fly,
we’ll watch them
bob among the stars
from our own backyard.
We’ll lie on our backs
in soft green grass,
bellies filled with the warmth
of our favorite meal,
and stare sleepy-eyed at the sky
as a procession of swine
makes its way across the night.
They’ll swing their legs lazily,
propelling through the clouds.
Some will dive like portly swans,
rejoicing in their lightness;
some will somersault
like silly circus performers.
When pigs fly,
we’ll forget all about
the apartment on Pleasantview Lane,
where the view is not so pleasant
And the backyard does not exist
And the cupboards are nearly bare.
Someday,
when pigs fly.

-Laura Salas