reverent and invisible

[saw]

the light in the black marsh afternoon,
lime green patina held down with gunsmoke sky
dense blanket of cloudless infinity over floating plants
great blue heron's workin' for crayfish brunch

somehow the marsh thrives without CNN
is totally indifferent to the pandemic circus
and all the talking heads that can say the very same thing
a thousand different ways

the marsh... she no worry, she eschews the lure of a Capital One card
even the platinum ones 'cause the bullfrogs know what a sticky tongue can get for free
snapping turtles, emerald green snakes, black ones too
osprey, you spray, we all spray a little spit into the mix

No NO, You are the outsider dude
you are the one fucking with harmony, you are upsetting the balance
You are the one that doesn't belong here
So BE Respectful bro

Look.... but that's it !...don't touch, walk in silence
Be a Good Steward, keep your visits brief, clean up after yourself
you are in in a place of worship......a sanctuary.....SO
be reverent ........and invisible

[sasha]

I just got back from a hike along the Otter River, where I caught a young garter snake (full of piss & vinegar, that one!), almost got a nice photo of a red-shouldered hawk (a little too far away), almost captured audio of a red-winged blackbird (forgot to take the Tascam out of standby) - and this poem was here to welcome me home. Feel the sentiment almost line for line. Could not agree more!

[sasha]

On a somewhat related note, I was hiking the opposite shore of the river last week, and took this picture of a bird I don't think I've ever seen before:
 

 
The Peterson guide indicates it's some kind of rail or snipe, but this fellow didn't appear to be any of the subspecies shown in the book. His tail feathers fanned out when he flew, and were tricolor: black, white, black. His call seemed to be a high-pitched peep-peep, without a lot of complex melodic detail, like a thrush or warbler's. The body was about the size of a jay, maybe a little bigger. The photo doesn't clearly show it, but his legs are yellow.

[saw]

thanx for comments on poem, and wow I don't recognize that bird from around these parts....took this photo on Monday in Black Marsh, within North Point State Park

[mnaz]

Man, I need to get outta the City (said about half the population lately)...

Yes, house of worship. Reminded me of Ed Abbey. That's what wilderness and open spaces were to him. He argued that we'd never let noisy, smelly motor vehicles into our church sanctuaries, so we shouldn't let them into our wild sacred spaces either.

[saw]

Thanx ya'll...read a lot of Edward Abbey......reread.....now I'm doin' it