Great Blue Heron

                    by Ralph Fletcher

Even when we walk up close

he pays no attention to us

as he walks along the shore

peering into shallow water

looking for some juicy crab

or unsuspecting sushi.

He looks like a dorky teacher

teaching advance algebra,

all eyes and bones and beak,

lecturing to invisible students,

hungry for that one moment

when he will get across his

                                                point.