Saturday, April 16, 2022

Masquerade in White


 

 

A goblet of milk mantled in twilight.

In an instant a leg shifts to bent elbow post.

The other stretches without a riffle of water

as the egret bows to its reflection.

 

Immersed in the river’s scent of leather,

the white’s neck eases into a question mark,

or surges like a sprinter at the tape.

Alert to movements of cricket, frog or fin.

 


Once eyes capture a whisker of fish,

egret searches within a sunlight filament.

Beak arrows, dips beneath the river glitter,

tosses a nibble to the air and catches it.


 


Twirling from a cottonwood, a leaf engages

the river rustler who turns to statue.

A shift and wings rise in silk banners over rock pates

while feathers ruffle reflections into sequins.

 

The egret alights on a branch, shivers in spiral,

stretches to preen and fluff each plume.

On legs of silk, it wings toward 

a turret of branches to design the sky.



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