The Driveway at The Aransas Princess

By John I. Blair

Cruising back and forth, staring
Into the foliage, we hope to see
Another grosbeak or prothonotary
Like those we saw last year.
Minding our manners, but
Brandishing binoculars,
Like voyeurs at a refugee camp
We greedily feed our life lists.

The birds ignore us,
Just happy to be here.
After a thousand miles of ocean
The narrow strip of island sand
Looms large to a thrush or warbler
Looking for a place to stand;
And then to find this tiny jungle,
Two strips of palms and oleanders
Along the driveway at the Princess!

To us it may look ragged,
Windblown, sunbaked,
Planted here to decorate
The entrance to a condo,
And not all that attractive;
But to the birds it’s paradise,
Salvation when all looked lost.

Perspective is everything.

©2002 John I. Blair