Heron and Turtle

It is when I slow down that I show up and recognize that there is much more to life than “me.”  I wrote the following poem after showing up for these amazing beings at a pond near my home.

Heron and Turtle

She flies in on prehistoric wings.
Gracefully landing
on a small rock.

Gathering herself together
she majestically scans
the new terrain.

Her long slender neck bends
scooping water with
a beak of beauty and utility.

Heron standing tall
Turtle sunning.
No territory has been breached.
Just the sharing of a rock
the sharing of the sun.

Heron turns head toward Turtle,
stops…………..looks,
bending neck down,
beak almost touching
Turtle’s shell.

Turtle slowly moves one foot.
Heron continues observing,
Turtle alert.

Enough, Heron straightens neck,
bends down to scoop more water.
Turtle’s foot moves back in.

Life continues,
as each rests in the sun
sharing a rock.

Mary Oliver said in her poem The Messenger, “Stand still and be astonished.”  Nature never ceases to astonish me.