Ten Feet Overhead – v9

Just up ahead of me
To my right
Around the narrow point

In the bulrushes
A burst of squawks and
Beating of heavy wings
Filled the thick air

The head and then the long endless body
Rose right over
The length, the spine of my canoe
The great blue heron
Blocking my view

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 majestic 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, in silence,
The bird fly off, audibly
Across the lake

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edited August 21, 2015

Ten Feet Overhead – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/ten-feet-overhead-v9.html

(editing version 6)

edited December 9, 2014

Ten Feet Overhead – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-feet-overhead-v8.html

(editing version 6)

edited April 3, 2014

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead – v7

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v7.html

(editing version posted 5/3/2004)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-overhead-v6.html

editing the 4^th version (the one with Marie Harris input)

&

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v5.html

(editing the 3^rd version)

inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

September 10, 2012

&

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, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,250+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.