Ten Feet Overhead – v11

Up ahead

To my right

Around the point;

Burst of squawks and

Beating of heavy wings

Filled the air.

The head and then its long endless body

Rose right over

The spine of my canoe

The heron

Blocking my vision, my view.

No more than ten feet above

My transfixed eyes.

The Great Blue Heron 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, transfixed, silently,

The bird fly off

Across my lake.

=============

edited September 28, 2017

ten feet overhead – v11

(editing version 2)

edited October 29, 2015

ten feet overhead – v10

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v10.html

(editing original)

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

summer of 2000

Swain’s Lake

Barrington, NH

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,020 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

blue, body, Canoe, creator, eyes, Faith, feather, feet, flowers, God, hope, king, life, light, Nature, heron, Poetry Where You Live, Swains Lake, water, wings, National Poetry Day,

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