Dulzura Rapture

First light, night-chilled water

vapors off dawn's golden goblet.

Ungainly water bug slips into Lake Dulzura.

Mountain pines, densely-etched,

crowd the water. There's no escaping

these pines. Wrapped in sun-stroked

exuberance red-stippled yellow

warblers feast and sing

plucking, from west shore

bushes, beetles and spiders

each note pricking leaves,

skin, water. If you

approach from the water

they barely notice, their song floating

out into the middle of the still dark

cenote where today descends

wings extended fully seven feet

plumeless head sky-pointing

claw-legs hesitantly lowered

hovering for a moment

almost overhead

finding nothing

or too much

then sweeping up

disappearing into sunrise—

a young blue heron.

Appeared in Avocet (Summer 2018)