HONKERS

 

            Easy down the path, Spring to guide me;

            my evening stroll pleasantly disturbed.

            Serenaded first, then looking skyward,

            I see the honkers, but dismay!

            There's confusion in this squadron;

            no clean V ‑ northbound;

            resembling more a dogfight,

            than the standard wing parade. 

 

            At first, I'm embarrased for this bungled troop,

            they themselves uncertain who's in charge,

            then disappointment at ornithology

            diverted from its path.

            Finally the squabble ends in compromise;

            focused, two separate wafts,

            yet still no arrows point northward;

            one east, the other west.

 

 

                © 1994
                background photo © 2007 by author

Author's Note: One of my most memorable moments with these birds was last year waiting for the bus to go to work. It was one of those mornings (7am) where the moon (almost full) was still clearly visible, high in the southern sky. A large flock of Canada Geese just happened to fly in front of the moon. It would have made an award winning photo, and not having my camera with me, I just about cried. Oh well, I'll keep it in the photo album of my mind, which is almost as good. The photo I included with the poem was taken later in the summer when my girlfriend and I rented a car and drove out to the country about half way to Toronto to visit friends.