Up ahead
To my right
Around the point
Burst of squawks and
Beating of heavy wings
Filled the air
The head and then the long endless body
Rose right over
The spine of my canoe
The heron
Blocking my vision
No more than ten feet above
My transfixed eyes.
It flew toward me
Thwump, thwump
I heard the wings breaking
The early morning stillness around me
The bird
Cupped its wings
And hovered for a moment,
Or a lifetime
Each feather was visible –
Rust, cream, slate,
And light blue eye shadow.
I watched
The bird fly off
Across the lake
(Raymond A. Foss)
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Based on Topics: Birds PoemsBased on Keywords: vision, ahead, stillness, rust, visible, lifetime, cream, heron, hovered, slate, spine