RAIN GARDEN

 

 RAIN GARDEN

Sometimes a clever idea

Is to allow for a place

To grow into a green space

And give it a catchy name

REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST

 REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST

The storm came and went over a week ago

All traces have disappeared

Except for this small vestige of snow and ice

Which refuses to get the message

It now fancies itself a sculpture:

Remembrance of Things Past

EGGS

EGGS

Eggs lie shattered on a sidewalk

On 108th Street

Only an obstacle for pedestrians

To walk around

Seen on the floor of a gallery

An artistic statement?

 

BAMBOO IN QUEENS

 

BAMBOO IN QUEENS

Walking along the Long Island Railroad tracks

 I spotted bamboo

Not the rolling paper

The plant

I always associated bamboo with giant pandas

 But the only thing I saw moving

Was a train
 

BLUE HERON

 

BLUE HERON

We stare at each other 

 

Trying to figure out why

 

Here is this blue heron with a long tube neck

 

From where I'm sitting I can only see its one unblinking eye 

 

Which after awhile becomes hypnotic

 

Staring into that eye is

 

Staring into the unfathomable nature all around us

 

Or so I think at the moment

 

While I'm totally captivated  I'm also a bit wary

 

Both of us are alone

 

Strangers drawn to the little pond in Maple Grove Cemetery 

 

I drove from Forest Hills

 

This bird had come from where?

 

If only we could have a talk

 

I could ask a million questions 

 

What would the bird ask?

 

We keep looking at each other

 

The blue heron with one foot over the other slowly comes closer and closer then backs off 

 

And  then returns even closer 

 

What's going on? 

 

All I know is we can't keep our eyes off each other 

 

Five minutes

 

Ten minutes

 

Fifteen

 

We are one

 

 I've never experienced a moment like this

 

How lucky am I?

 

Seems we are connected

 

Do we recognize each other from a past life?

 

Soulmates finally reuniting?

 

As I 'm pondering these questions the blue heron suddenly pokes its head into the water 

 

And catches a small bright fish

 

Which it holds briefly in its beak

 

Before letting it slide down its neck

 

The spell is broken

 

No more eye contact

 

Sadly I realize all this time the blue heron wasn't thinking about me at all

 

Just lunch

 

What a beast!

 

As I was also getting hungry

 

I got  up from the bench

 

Soon after the bird flew away