Great blue heron by Dave Watts
MORNING IN THE WETLANDS
by Wilda Morris
Looking for my lost self
I walk the Wetlands path.
A redwing’s quiet conk-la
and its shrill reeee! Announce
I’m trespassing. When I step
too close to his mate’s nest,
she chitters her tink, tink, tink,
He flies in, a kamikaze aiming
for my head. Okay, Okay,
I say, quickening my step
away from his marsh mate,
I’m willing to watch
from a distance. A mallard
mother, camouflaged
among cattails, broods
her eggs, guarded
by her green-headed
hero. At my approach
he shifts, stands,
takes a few uneasy steps
I have not come here
to bring fear, only to
get in touch with some
part of me hidden within,
something released only
in the presence of the wild,
the unpredictable,
the unspoiled. I turn
to leave, still not at rest.
A great blue heron
lands on the water
like a blessing.
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April is National Poetry Month and we are celebrating by sharing with you throughout the month some of the poems (and prose) from our own nature themed anthology called NATURAL VOICES: CELEBRATING NATURE THROUGH OPENED EYES. There are 14 authors in the book and one author’s name will be drawn randomly each time we post a poem or prose excerpt from the book until all authors have been represented. Check our news blog regularly for the poem/prose posts.
Read more about National Poetry Month here: https://poets.org/national-poetry-month
We’re celebrating #nationalpoetrymonth, #naturalvoicesanthology
Get your copy of the anthology here: https://www.naturalland.org/merchandise/