The Pond
The Pond On the bank of the pond surrounded by trees and interspersed with cattails I find refuge As I crunch through the thick carpet of fallen leaves their sweet fragrance envelops me I spy a doe as she sounds her barking alarm call then flicks her white flag and bounds away Around me is the busy, constant peeping of cardinals as they flit from branch to branch. I pause to drink in Their song Above me, a hawk closely observes my approach and waits a beat before sliding smoothly off his perch into flight. Before me, translucent dust motes float lazily I the slanting sunlight of afternoon. A tiny woodpecker circles the base of two trees, moving onto a third before setting to work and drumming out a beat A gaggle of geese is silently swimming I hear their laughter as their contentment rolls out in waves. --Jill Deming