Skip to content

Tag: haibun

A Springtime Walk

March 19, 2009 • • 5 Comments
Cardinal singing for spring

Every tree along the trail to the pond wears its own cardinal, each claiming territory and attracting mates, filling the air with song. Gnatcatchers and kinglets hop through the branches with the chickadees. Blue Jays build a nest by the pond where the ducks had been until yesterday when they got the migration call and departed for points north. With all the birds alive and calling attention to themselves, the deer skeleton was quite a shock.

on a bed of leaves,
a deer skeleton picked clean,
save one furry hoof

Watching Ring-billed Gulls in Central Texas

January 15, 2009 • • 3 Comments

Ring-billed Gull 3
When you grow up with the Navy, you get used to certain things, particularly salty air and the cries of gulls. Things not easily come by during a typical day in central Texas. Thank goodness for the Ring-billed Gulls, then, that come to the lake near our house every winter.

My gull fix is only a short bike ride away, even if I drove the other day.

I ignored the other birds, ignored everything, focused on the mass of white specks floating on the sparkling water.

flash of white
against the blue
plunges into cold

Ring-billed Gull 1

I can watch gulls for hours. I love the way they fly, so graceful. Lazy one minute, and diving for a meal the next.

Watching gulls is watching wind come alive.

wind takes form
substance, shape
a gull streaks across
memory

Ring-billed Gull 2

Cold air riders come to spend another central Texas inland winter, they bob on the surface, cry and take flight.

The wind pushes them around a bit, but it’s all for show.

They are in control.

Ring-billed Gull 4

a cry, a soaring gull
comes up with lunch
i come back for more