David Oates

excerpt from The Heron Place

on the favored walk
along the river
the place
I once saw a heron
pleases me
as much
as the heron did

          ~  ~  ~

now
it will always have a name
the heron place
or sometimes
found
under green alders bending
or sometimes
remember

          ~  ~  ~

and in the name
the story, a small one
I can turn it over stonewise
it fits a palm nicely
swings with a rhythm
while walking