A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT
How does the heron
learn about refraction
and that the fish is not
where the fish appears to be
It is a matter of survival I suppose
Like me learning the difference
and the angle of intent
between what you said and
what you meant
SOUND THINKING
If a group of crows is a murder
a group of grackles must be
a massacre
GRACKLES IN AUSTIN
Crows
that couldn’t make the choir
singing in protest
THE USELESS LAKE
At the edge of our ranch
lay a large and useless lake
True, it was pretty enough
when the sun struck it just right
And the alkali
didn’t seem to be a problem
for the seeming millions
of cormorants, gulls and pelicans
who embraced it for their home
There were even men
living along the south shore
who may have been happy
mining its salt for money
What I meant was
it was water
that the cows couldn’t drink
SPRING HOPES ETERNAL
Spring hopes eternal
The meadowlark’s song
Lifts tears from the dew
THE JOY OF THE LOON
The joy of the loon
Is in the sadness of his song
Candle lake at dawn
GALVESTON MORNING
In slow formation
lunch boxes under their bills
pelicans off to work
ANGELS IN TEXAS
If you can’t die
In a state of grace
you might just die
in the state of Texas
If you can’t
Be carried on high
by the white wings of angels
You may still
be lifted with loving care
borne up on the black wings of buzzards
WAKE TURBULENCE
Deep in the night the great horned owl
strokes silence with silence
If you land a small plane behind a 747
(Don’t land a small plane behind a 747)
If you land a small plane behind a 747
the invisible vortex from its wingtips
can toss you back into the air
or slap you hard into
the ground
Behind the great owl
the softness of its passing hangs in the air
INDIAN RIVER, ONTARIO 2004
Above waterfall
In circle of highest pine
green showers down
By the waterfall
body rests in hammock
cells rush to the sea
Below waterfall
power beyond soap and rub
washes off city
Lying by the bank
trees holding blue hammock
lift it to the sky
Indian River
Great Blue Heron stands
wise Tibetan monk