THE GRAY HERON
            Galway Kinnell
                p. 1980
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It held its head still
while its body and green
legs wobbled in wide arcs
from side to side.  When
it stalked out of sight,
I went after it, but all
I could find where I was
expecting to see the bird
was a three-foot-long lizard
in ill-fitting skin
and with linear mouth
expressive of the even temper
of the mineral kingdom.
It stopped and tilted its head,
which was much like
a fieldstone with an eye
in it, which was watching me
to see if I would go
or change into something else.


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** contributory thanks to Sam Droege **

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