Blue Heron's Stance

by Lee Kirk

the heron

lifts its

leg stalks

one slow foot

at a time

oh this is,

oh this, oh

this is patience

personified

see how

he stands

one foot

held high

a full five

minutes

nothing moves

save one

feather

in the slender

crest flips

in a slight

breeze and one

dark eye

manages to look

asleep alertly

and oh this

is, oh this,

oh this is

peace personified

until

with a flick

the dangerous

beak is filled

with flapping

liquid silver

about to make

that last

long

dark

swim

down

the unfathomed

throat