Her royal sapphire and sovereign,
the Great Blue Heron
is the majestic hunter of the Gulf of Mexico:
a thrasher of toads, rodents and small fish.
Patron of balance and patience:
the blade-beak and svelte-neck reigns
in the salty estuaries against the water oaks-
noble emblem and a skull’s ambassador.
A French horn of demise, an observed croak
jargon feather-zoom sublimation.
A creation of repose, rustled velvet and tender passion.
Witness her crown raised to the sky, neck straight,
and feathers flared. When ready to soar,
she is a soft piano solo with a wingspan.