Oo-eek & UNIKII: Ramble with the Lady

Squabbling robins barrel rolled

through the barely budding brush

by the side rail, formerly a trail

above the south old clay pit

Sounded like kids arguing

over a bouncing ball

But that came later

(In medias res

Shakespeare)

Back in time, setting off with Lady

our family's mutt, morning burst in light

filling freshly scrubbed skies

Sounds of awakening spring

Robins on all sides as

we rambled through town

Cooing sounds too on all sides

from mourning doves

settling into natural rhythms

of spring

Crossing the side rail separating

town from the wildness

of the town pond

Heard red-winged blackbirds trilling

all around the north pit

Pairs of Canada geese swam

on both pits

none nesting so far

Quiet, by geee standards

readying for that serious

business of getting busy

Four wood ducks squeaked

off from trees by the ditch

to the east of the south pit

Squeaked is

not the right verb

for the sounds

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

describes the sound wood ducks make

when frightened and taking flight

as, ``Oo-eek''

``Oo-eek!''

Sounds about right

Back on the edge of town sun

shattered the calm

through the stark metal

of the grain elevators

(Do you hear me

Charles Demuth?)

A grain car from Klemme Coop Grain stained

with brightly colored ``UNIKII'' sat

sat on side rail catching

eyes

We all want that

``UNIKII''

sounding and looking

Pair of Euasian collared-doves croaked

landing in a tree next

to the village hall

Again, the cooing of doves

on all sides in town made

me think of walking

in a balloon of cooing

The neighbor's black pup gave

Lady hell as we turned

the corner toward home

Off-my-turf sounds

Lady sprinted up the front steps

scattering sparrows

from below the feeders

(Work to do towrd home

Gary Snyder)

``UNIKII''

``Oo-eek''