A black-crested
       long-necked
long-legged
       freshwater heron
perched on a suburban
       rooftop

motionless
       but for its eyes
it surveys the horizon
       unmoved by all it sees

blackbirds and pigeons
       and sparrows and magpies
crowd the empty air space
       but the heron scarcely blinks

One wonders what
       is on its mind
and how far it is
       from home and whether
herons indeed
       do ever get lost

John Lyons