More About Geese

Early Spring Duende
(for Judy Longley)

I”m out here looking for Canada
Geese. Is that anything like
a wild goose chase? I only want
to shoot them with
my camera and think
about duende
                       as they stiff-walk on the dead
grass, take off wildly
honking, hit the water
awkward, put their heads in
the freezing cold and shake
their oily feathers like
trash. Wings tucked, necks erect,
two of them and a duck
arrow across this pond, where
the water, today,
is gray-green and winter’s mourning
still hangs
from the trees. They don’t know
I want their picture. If they knew,
they’d have no idea
why. These frequent tourists
are out looking for their life. I’d have
to say, so am I.