Egrets Pau Hana

Right about now the whitecaps break free
become a flock of egrets nothing purposeful
flashing and soaring how can I not feel joy
ecstasy jubilation at the sight they say
it’s too far away to be of consequence
from up here on the casuarina cook pine
covered slope looking over the treetops
down to sunlight caught up in the nets
of the shoreline we can’t see and out there
the horizon so high it’s hard to believe
this world’s not inside out in more ways
than one but it’s okay this moment here
they come again another uprush of confetti
first east then west like I said there’s no mind
making itself up this could be our worst fear
looking out for the meaning of life
and seeing the waves transformed
into big-winged beak-thrusting
cattle egrets at the end of their work day
some people hate these birds because
they’re interrupting the cattle shit cycle
after all they’re newcomers arrived in ’73
not native not indigenous invasive
I can hear the muttering right here
between by one bad ear and my shoulder
but I don’t care I’m with these pau hana
messengers I look up and see sheer beauty
it’s out of this world no I take that back
it is this world lifting soaring flickering flashing
the ultimate surrender unfold my heart
go free my salt tears all the cautionary tales
of melting wax or the grasping tide
fall away in this moment