Trident

These Osprey kept a close eye on our friends Pete and Della.

They were neighbors.
That’s what neighbors do.
I got the chance to sit on their porch,
Pete and Della’s porch,
and study the nest for a bit in the summer
and a bit more in the fall.

It wasn’t til I got back to my Pennsylvania studio,
and studied the photographs I took
that I saw the trident.

That stalwart symbol of the sea.
I was faithful in the rendering of every branch and twig
which generations of this family labored to weave,
and, as the days of painting went along,
I came up with lots of stories about
who was celebrating what
with that blue and white ribbon.

Pete’s not around to tell
and Della can keep a secret
but that middle bird
don’t you just think
with those googly eyes..

she’ll be the one to tell all.