All these geese

basking roadside, pondside, sun-
side, ignoring thunderous trucks,
whizzing cars, even the thump
and whine of the garbage collector—
but humans are something else
altogether, and all together, uneasy
at my approach, they turn their heads,
long necks, move in smooth unison
closer to the water. A few startle,
take wing at a runner’s passing
breeze, plunge into the pond,
three white furrows and four more
behind, wings wide then down,
tail feathers shaken into place—
and what a goose I am, trail-walking
roadside, pondside, sun-side,
to startle as the first man runs up
and past, and again to turn my head,
uneasy, when the second, walking,
overtakes me.

14 thoughts on “All these geese”

  5. the first four lines get the reader immediately into the noise of the scene. the last four lines get me to thinking about how women must often be fearful if they are out alone (unlike the geese who at least had each other). and i can understand their fear. on the other hand, i’ve had the experience of women crossing the road so as not to get too close to me, i guess an unpleasant experience for both of us.

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