whirling clouds

 astonished, i drove, 
braked,
 and looked and looked
 snow geese
amidst their larger cousins
 everywhere, in dizzying clouds
i parked behind
that car dealership
whose owner dug this pond
 on my road 
and there,
amongst the canada geese,
the snow geese.
every time i hear that story
of the snow goose on embattled english marshes,
but here 
 they bunched into groups
 keeping in the water
 where, perhaps, they retained
a little more mobility?
 now swimming
after that huge kaleidoscope
 settled down
and oh they were loud! 
all of them, see those snowy ones
with their mouths open?
 perhaps they'd just left the field across the road
where a little corn might scatter around
waiting to feed these late movers
or happy winter feasters
whichever they are.

snow geese surprise

corn fields harvested in autumn, become places of plenty in late winter/early spring

i grew up loving the movie (and later on the book) the snow goose by paul gallico. i got a call this evening about a "layover" about 8 miles away, and i had to go and see. they are so beautiful. i know they are abundant, even nuisance birds in some places, but not here.

my front yard