Sunday, September 25, 2011

Key West, at Sunset



Your outrageous conversation
announced a flamingo party nearby
long before we caught a glimpse of your
spectacular pink….
Our human ears could only guess at your bird-words,
some soft, most loud and raucous and joyful.
You and your fellow long-legged wonders
squawked among yourselves, socializing,
enchanting us with your untranslatable discussion,
then in a flash of color revealed yourselves!
No mortal could conceive of the brilliant hues of your plumes!
No imagination could invent your unique form
at once awkward and graceful.
Cocking your tails, necks outstretched,
you arched into a stylized wing-salute before us,
revealing striking, contrasting colors.
Turning, as though prompted by
an unseen choreographer, you pivoted
slowly, then each extended a wing
and a long, slim leg on the same side
out and to your rear, balancing with confidence.
Then, satisfied that you had ensured
your admiring audience
a spectacular performance,
the three of you were aloft,
blending your flamingo pinkness
into the mauve and purpling skies
of that Key West sunset….


© Candice W. Coghill, September, 2011

Watercolor “The Flamingos” by kind permission of the Artist Rod McIver and his site “Heron Dance”:  http://herondance.imagekind.com/store/imagedetail.aspx?IMID=ab3773f9-afb7-4f47-beee-bae3a627da98&q=flamingos  
We encourage you to explore “Heron Dance” in its entirety ! It is possibly the most beautiful site we ever have found.

4 comments:

  1. Saw your link on the 'poetry Pantry'. Awesome job! You painted a nice picture with your words. :)

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  2. Thank you so much ! I appreciate your warm comments :)

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  3. Welcome to one newbie to the Pantry from another. This is a lovely description of one of the wonders of a Key West sunset. Good for you for noticing anything else but that awesome show put on by the sun. I once saw a little girl about seven and her father watch the sun drop. After it sank into the sea, the crowd applauded. Then the little girl's voice rang out. "Do it again, Daddy."

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  4. Hi, PattiKen, and welcome to you, too :) I hope you're enjoying the Pantry as much as I am. Thanks for your comments; I'm so glad you enjoyed my poem ! I love your anecdote lol..."out of the mouths of babes...."

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