The Flamingo Painted Pink Poem by Jim Yerman

We were excited to walk on our favorite beach…and at the same time ascertain…
if and how our favorite beach had been affected by the hurricane.

Some parts were still flooded…and just as we had feared
although there was still a beach to walk on…much of the sand had disappeared.

The sky, the trees, the water retained their vibrancy but…near as we could tell
many of the vivid hues that once painted the beach had been washed away as well.

Until we rounded a bend where in a pond formed by the tides
enjoying a little food and drink…
was a bird we'd never seen on our beach before…a flamingo…painted pink.

"Excuse me, flamingo." We said. "We've never seen you on our beach before…
If you don't mind our asking…how did you come to land upon our shore."

"I was flying with my family from the Yucatan" she said.
"It was a beautiful summer day…
when a storm came out of nowhere…and then…I lost my way."

"I got separated from my family…I don't know if they're alive…or dead.
I'm scared…I'm lonely…and I'm hungry." that pink flamingo said.

So we sat with the her for a while…at the place where she'd been blown
to help ease her sadness and her fears…and so she wouldn't feel all alone.

When it came time for us to go we reminded her how we're all family…
every creature…every woman…every man…
that we hope she's soon reunited with her flamingo family
and that we'll check on her as often as we can.

As we walked away and she returned to finding good thing to eat and drink
In the washed out colors of the beach we looked back and said a little prayer
for that flamingo…painted pink.