Snowy Egret, spring 1980 (2)

Herewith, the latest selection from dusted-off published poetry and short fiction, circa 1970s vintage and beyond....

A Bird of Another Colour

We track through the litter
of fall, feet sinking in
depths of leaves, traversing
the stream on fallen branches
creep up to the beaverpond
hunched over to blend in
the landscape. And this time

we haven't frightened
the waterbirds, peacock-coloured
crested and beautiful
paddling the still waters
close to the lodge. Whispering
we pass the glasses from one

set of eyes to another
admiring plumage, these
Wood Ducks serene in the still
of the Gatineau wood. They live
a precarious existence
for we heard on our trek

reports breaking the stillness
as hunters shot from blinds
on the river. This is
Thanksgiving Day and there's a
certain irony that we've
hiked for miles to see this

wonderful display, will hike
miles back to our waiting
succulent Thanksgiving turkey :
a bird of another colour.

c. 1980 Rita Rosenfeld
published in Snowy Egret, volume 43, number 1