by Matt Wolff
| I see them flying overhead blue sky above wetness on their skinny ankles their beaks press in the soil for food nothing near like this for them so many come from so many places a superior form of radar finds this area of precious acres better than man-made drones they find what will sustain them from miles overhead they come there are flocks of thousands here all different species converge it is a bird party of sorts old friends meet up, discuss their journeys give tips on routes and traffic they share food and drink help each other wash up nothing near like this for them how many decades have they come? every year, this time how many miles due to this stop an integral leg of the journey who designed this, set this up this pond, these prey, this set of circumstances who dreams get in the way of nature’s process here thinking it little or that they know better | overshadows what is left of pure reason disregard eyes that see expert explanations what to one is essential a place to find integral meal to another is investment something to make concrete solid and lined with green like pockets who else fights this battle worldwide somehow I sense the birds will forgive us even help us out when we drown slip and fall in puddles we’ve created sinkholes mired with cars, concrete, and quicksand capitalism better grow wings son evolve pretty quick learn to tend a garden ride a bus tap the sun because your way of exploitation taking more than you give back to nature your selfish way of living is done |
Matt has written and performed poetry for the last 17 years in the Lehigh Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. He has organized over 30 local poetry readings and multi-media events over the last four years and facilitated multiple school workshops.
‘Green Pond’ was first published in Lehigh Valley Vanguard
(Published in the 2017 edition of Sustainable Lehigh Valley)