Craak! Poem by Linda Hepner

I am the goose arriving in the spring,
the one in V formation, on the right,
towards the end. I follow every wing
and croak my chorus story of the flight
while you below amazed look up and cry
The geese are back! We’ve left the frozen north
to join you here and share your fields of rye
and corn and wheat until we sally forth
to land together in another field
and help you harvest, swimming in your lake
where proudly tiny goslings are revealed,
although you have no gratitude and take
our fluffy feathers for your eiderdowns
and clip our wings and tame us on your farm
where fattened cousins like mere ducks or clowns
waddle without dignity or charm.

But just approach me! With my battle croak
I will advance and push you to retreat,
your children and their breadcrumbs flee my poke,
and see how fast our knobby goosewebbed feet
can chase you from our seeded springtime land
promised to us by The Great Goose ahead
who teaches ancient V formations fanned
into the heavens bringing awe and dread.
Yet welcome us and we shall follow you
Not like Lorenz who thought he was a man
But as your friends in winter, wise and true,
And north we’ll fly together as one clan!

LRH
5.2.07