HUNTING THE CHILDREN
The Great Egret,
lord of the lagoon,
snakes among the reeds.
Head tilted,
the plumed hunter
stalks forward,
unblinking.
A baby duck strays,
huddles between
cattail stems.
With yellow bill,
the egret spears
the duckling.
The mallard hen
clucks to her brood
while the egret stilts
to dry ground.
