Ten Feet Overhead – v4

Up ahead
To my right
Around the point
Burst of squawks and
Beating of heavy wings
Filled the air

The head and then the long endless body
Rose right over
The spine of my canoe
The heron
Blocking my vision

No more than ten feet above
My transfixed eyes.
It flew toward me
Thwump, thwump
I heard the wings breaking
The early morning stillness around me

The bird
Cupped its wings
And hovered for a moment,
Or a lifetime

Each feather was visible -
Rust, cream, slate,
And light blue eye shadow.

I watched
The bird fly off
Across the lake



Saved as separate file and reposted
September 20, 2012
published version – 2/7/2004
“Ten Feet Overhead – v4”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/one-morning-on-swains-lake.html
Written June 18, 2001, edits June 21 and June 22, 2001, based on input from NH Poet Laureate, Marie Harris.
&
The evolution of the poem - Ten Feet Overhead”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/evolution-of-poem-ten-feet-overhead.html
The three drafts below represent the evolution of a poem, "Ten Feet Overhead", based on a morning on Swains Lake in Barrington, NH in 2001, reading down from 1st draft to a second version, finally to the published version, posted here on 2/7/04.
&
“Ten Feet Overhead – v3”
June 21, 2001
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-overhead-final-version.html
“Ten Feet Overhead – v2”
June 22, 2001
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-second.html
“Ten Feet Overhead – v1”
June 18, 2001
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-first.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,110+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.