Showing you the birds

Each day I run down

The blossom-strewn bank

To the shallow stream - 

Brown stone under pink

And watch the lone bird

Visiting -

Heron, egret, moorhen, crow.

Today I brought you with me

For the first time -

Showed you how we must get low

Under the trees,

Took you to the brown stones

And standing on the pink

We saw not one, but two jewelled mandarins

Together.

I tried to memorize the russet colour,

The white stripes 

But I always think in symbols

And couldn't deny

The imagery here -

Excited I repeated this to you,

Over and over.

I had wanted to show you the 

Chance of it,

The beauty of the birds

But you got to see, instead

How my mind worked

On blossom-strewn banks

Precious,

In the water. 

LJ Ireton

2023