On a recent visit to Mississippi, I caught this flight of a great blue heron on my phone camera. The wingspan of these birds amazes me. They fly low across the water and perch near the water’s edge to forage for minnows and other small aquatics. This photo reminds me of a drawing my father did of a heron over the water.
I invite you to write today using these photos as inspiration. Leave a small poem in the comments and support other writers with your responses.
The Flight of the Great Blue Heron
Poised dawn glider
Horizon solitude
Regal wave to God
Margaret Simon, draft
Reflections on the Teche 
dawn glider for the win! I’ve been talking this blog up at Highlights. I hope we will see new friends here soon. xo
Linda, I can’t wait to hear about your week! Thanks for the support.
Margaret – lovely, especially loving “horizon solitude”!
Modesty Does Not Limit
Lift your wings,
Catch the wind –
No need to fly high
In order to soar.
Draft, Carol Coven Grannick
That is just up my attitude with “no need to fly high!”
Love your message!
Love the title–and the no-need-to-fly-high advice!
Carol, I love the idea of soaring with “no need to fly high” Beautiful!
Carol, great title and beautiful poem full of meaning. Your first two lines hooked me “Lift your wings, Catch the wind” and make me want to fly. I love watching hawks and turkey vultures catch the updraft. Great juxtaposition in your last two lines “No need to fly high / In order to soar.”
Denise was having trouble responding. She emailed me her response:
Margaret, “regal wave to God” is so felt. It inspired my poem today.
Still sailing, ever
mindful, ever present
Gliding at peace, one
Denise Krebs
Denise, I love how this poem lands on “one”. That is what impresses me about this bird. They are solitary in nature.
Your poem is so peaceful, Denise.
This feels like a meditation to me…lovely!
“Still sailing, ever mindful….” What an image and a feeling for us as well as the heron!
Thank you, Margaret. Now today, I am able to comment. 🙂 Who knows what mysteries happen in cyberspace?
Denise, your poem is beautiful. I’m full of calming emotions-joy, peace, and bliss from reading your poem. Your first line “Still sailing” hooked me and I love “gliding at peace.” “Ever mindful, ever present” every word is powerful.
Beautiful photo and drawing, Margaret.
Great Blue Heron
flying high dipping low
with wingbeats like slow motion
nature’s poetry
Poetry is definitely the right word for those slow wingbeats!
Nature’s poetry, of course. Love that!
Those slow motion wingbeats really are poetry! Beautiful, Rose.
Rose, such a beautiful poem that captures the image. I love your poem, especially the line “nature’s poetry” and how it rhymes with “slow motion.”
Fishing BirdWait. Watch.Wait. Wade.Wait. Stalk.Wait. Spear!Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.Flap, flap…Soar!
Arggh…Don’t know why I keep losing formating.
Trying again:
Fishing Bird
Wait. Watch.
Wait. Wade.
Wait. Stalk.
Wait. Spear!
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
Flap, flap….
Soar!
I love reading this out loud! With the gulp, gulp, gulp! And the end lifts as the heron to Soar!
Buffy, I read both of your versions. The second one of course is easier to read and I like the Wait. beginning each sentence. It shows the power of that heron to find sustenance through all these verbs. Beautiful.
Ooh! What fun, Buffy! You capture every move, and that sudden post-swallow flap-flap-soar!
Buffy, your poem is fun! I love the repetition and the sounds it makes. I can hear and see children laughing and acting out your poem! Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
A regal wave to God – just love that! Beautiful poem and photo, Margaret.
Margaret, a beautiful image captured in photo and poem. I love blue herons. Up here they usually look gray. One time I was walking in our state park heading toward a creek, when I saw a gray heron standing still like a statue looking for dinner. The crane was camouflaged against the rocks, water, and little bridge and no one noticed it. I crept closer, squatting snapping shots. What a thrill. I imagine you must have been way more thrilled than I was to catch your crane in flight displaying magnificence! I love the bright and contrasting colors in your pic. Here’s my draft:
Great Blue Heron
I fly low, slow, over
creek’s green-leaved reflection
I’m summer’s messenger
of peace
Gail Aldous draft
I love the tightness in your poem-every word meaningful. Thank you for sharing your post and inspiration. Your photos and poems always bring me joy. Your pic of Thomas and bubbles was adorable. It reminded me of your pic of Leo and bubbles and all the fun I had with our girls blowing bubbles.
Margaret, I saw this when it was posted and it’s taken me this long to come back and write. I had to… the heron pulls at my soul. I’ve seen more of them this spring and summer than I ever have before. Several times in flight. A great blue heron in flight, especially in profile, seems prehistoric to me. Your photo is amazing. I recall your saying before that your dad had drawn a heron in flight – stunning artwork. You inherited his artistry, I believe. I love the alliteration of your post title, “Heron Horizon.” It is perfect. As is every line of your poem – these are solitary creatures, and that regal wave to God…yes. Maybe even His regal wave to us…
It is said
that a heron
is a symbol
for comfort
in solitude
I can appreciate that
as a writer
but more so
that the heron
should appear
just when
I need it most
lassoing my spirit
with its wide
encompassing wings
so slow-beating
that I wonder how
we’ll stay aloft
just for a moment
we scrape the sky
and I catch sight
of our reflection
in the still water
below
a regal wave from God
a perfect
cross
-thank you, Margaret.
I appreciate that this image stayed with you and you came back to write. They do seem to appear when you most need a spiritual presence.
Fran, I love your beautiful poem. I especially love your 5th stanza “lassoing my spirit / with its wide / encompassing wings.” Your imagery is so vivid, I can see your spirit’s ride on the blue heron. Great voice and ending.