Friday, March 20, 2009

Envy: Geese on the Saint Croix


From March 25, 2006

I have two feet, flat and wide--
why can't I stand about smugly
on frozen river water receding by the day?

I can flap my two wide arms--
Why can't I launch into spring chill air
with wings full and open and nonchalant?

My nose is large and silly--
Why can't I bellow and call and honk and fuss
with no remorse?

My body fills out, round, plain and ungainly--
why can't I sway side to side in icy water
until I lurch clumsily ashore using no arms?

Well,
say the wet, fallen trees
growing lichen like row upon row of fan-colored fans
and smelling of musk and mold:

perhaps in another life, dear

Photo courtesy of Ross/Picassa

2 comments:

Rudee said...

I love geese. We have quite a few here near Lake St. Clair. Over the years, I've seen a few hanging around on my front lawn. There are several creeks near my home where these guys live in the summer.

Kathleen said...

Thanks for reading the my poem, Rudee! Geese--what amusing critters.