Lighting Bones on Sun

I say we are Great Blue Herons

lighting our bones

on the Sun

we maneuver currents easier the lighter we are-so our hollow bones

are flutes

Holy things

like our wings

sounding out into the shallow waters

we court the seeking waves they are wetlands

tears

repeating

original instructions

set down so long ago on thunderclaps in hearts wide open

“Earth is home” a lightening breach evil falling simmers in heat-

still we stand in laments in resilience our reach exceeds the look of things

eternity longer than our throats suggest-

we uncoil spring into action use our powers of observation to

strike!

crabs and fish delay another day

the promise of dust

we do not attack we are only feeding

I say we are Great Blue Herons sublime in precision and flight discerning the right moment to act-we thrust ourselves into opportunities snakes frogs we make choices to suit our appetites

discussions we wish to avoid become a snack we do without soaring joyful decision to leave it alone under its brackish rock we employ mercy compassion and we can stand still a long time slow deep breathing

protecting our necks curved in measured meanings discerning the right moment to act

rare vagrants wandering off into murky depths- suspicious strangers afraid to speak

lulled by cicadas

sleepy

we take off it’s just so easy for birds like us

later we meet

in secret places feet can’t find

flocks might

gather to eat

a table laid out across a briny sea

where the long remembering is etched out

skin inked

messengers ride the roads between realms

surviving

able always to

honor the solitary feeder