where are the egrets seen yesteryear
salting River Han with caws, swoops,
flaps of graceful span of wings
accordion necks and pencil legs
veiled since summer's wane
return they would, thought i
after lunar new year's crackle curtailed
fishing their livelihood days
standing knee-deep, sharp-eyed
but still they are not here
gone with the turtles that sunned on boulders
only the river looks the same
course unchanged no bulldoze wrath
overgrowth tall of weeds and grass
yellow and white butterflies meandering interwoven
but the Han looks lonely without egrets
not a feathered one in sight
left to distraction am i
overcome by out-stretched serpents overnight
silver-green scampering over a suddenly sunny ledge
under a saturated sky of smoke
that has given up being refreshed
hurtling to a dilapidated mess
what some men's greed of nature made
driving egrets from the Han
no longer greeting a fruitful dawn...
i beg thee Lord, renew, do not forsake
leave us not in the throws of serpents
the Han holds its breath awaiting an answer
the river trickles its flow until it knows
egrets, please come back
or i will have to find you go
wait; i see a young one flying north!
be patient; i see a young one on course
with rice paddies being seeded
i see another beauty flapping her white wings
another hopping boulders along the shore
reconnaissance
it all makes sense
coming back for more
let the ambulance race the scooter
the egret wades and waits
lets bitter water pass through her legs
for plum rain replenishment
she bends her young neck down to eat
for sustenance
with whetted beak
February 20, 2017
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