Poor Thing
Yesterday, in the afternoon rain,
I passed the small pond
in the middle of campus.
In the grass near the water,
a goose, barking,
swiveling its head
and throwing a strange, low call
in every direction.
A few of us stop and watch.
I think she’s looking for someone,
a woman says,
her nest is back there.
I look it in the eye
and try to read the expression there.
It seems tense,
as all birds do
when we want them to.
What do you want, goose.
Would it be better if I left.
What can I do, my dear,
poor thing.
Oh, I feel the connection and compassion...and also the wonderful edgy awareness in "when we want them to." Us humans. Sigh. The edginess and a kind of power/helplessness are then reinforced by the image!
ReplyDelete"when we want them to"- I will be thinking of this next time I pass by the heron who flies into our campus pond...Happy Wednesday Hannah...xox
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of our Gray Kitty, the feral one, always tense and meowing as if in distress.
ReplyDelete