fergusbeeleyme-blog

[fergusbeeleyme-blog]

London Wetland Centre, thanks to Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

[fergusbeeleyme-blog]

GREY HERON at London Wetland Centre

I play the blinking game with a heron

standing like a statue by the reeds

While the moorhens pick & dabble at weed

And the mallard preen and shake their tails.

A sudden neck lunge forward, no blink

A few stalking steps. Grandmas stalking steps

Rising up its feet in slow graceful moves

Now back to statue. Neck forward. Stop. 

Still. Still. No blink.

The grey plumes rise and drop with a gust of breeze.

Only the crest moves now, like a single black reed.

Wade wade again. The day is long. He wins.