Anacapa Island by Jonathan Yungkans The island is Eneepah to the Chumash Islanders, meaning ever-changing or deceptive or perhaps mirage. Like the picture of California’s best view I saw online— the spine of Santa Monica Mountains rising from the Pacific, grey against deep blue, clouds purple bruises above them and the distant sunset gold. NothingContinue reading “Anacapa Island by Jonathan Yungkans”
Category Archives: birds
Isis at Caroni by Robert Bensen
Isis at Caroni Caroni Bird Sanctuary, Trinidad for Derek Walcott by Robert Bensen The outboard, tuned a tight tenor, ponged like a thin metallic bird trailing us through centuries of mangroves propped on stilts over the still canal. Our guide, an Indian named Nanan, lost me with every turn of his wrist down everyContinue reading “Isis at Caroni by Robert Bensen”
Golden Eagles over Franklin Mountain by Robert Bensen
Golden Eagles over Franklin Mountainby Robert Bensen On Oct. 25, 2018, we counted 128 Golden Eagles, a single-day record for eastern North America. The previous single-day high was 71 (Nov. 11, 2015) so the magnitude of this big day cannot be overstated. The reason for this Golden Eagle push two weeks before the traditional migrationContinue reading “Golden Eagles over Franklin Mountain by Robert Bensen”
Corona Hopelings, Morro Bay, CA by Jeanie Greenfelder
Corona Hopelings, Morro Bay, CA by Jeanie Greenfelder Birds reclaim their beach, lounge in the sun or set up umbrellas for shade. Some picnic, others watch waves. In truth, on this cloudy morning, one gull almost hits me with a clam as he flies and drops it over and over until it cracks. Then heContinue reading “Corona Hopelings, Morro Bay, CA by Jeanie Greenfelder”
Tell Me a Story by Robert Penn Warren
Tell Me a Story (Part A)by Robert Penn Warren Long ago, in Kentucky, I, a boy, stoodBy a dirt road, in first dark, and heardThe great geese hoot northward.I could not see them, there being no moonAnd the stars sparse. I heard them.I did not know what was happening in my heart.It was the seasonContinue reading “Tell Me a Story by Robert Penn Warren”
The Cranes, Texas January by Mark Sanders
The Cranes, Texas Januaryby Mark Sanders I call my wife outdoors to have her listen,to turn her ears upward, beyond the cloud-veiledsky where the moon dances thin light,to tell her, “Don’t hear the cars on the freeway— it’s not the truck-rumble. It is and is notthe sirens.” She stands there, on decka rocking boat, wantingContinue reading “The Cranes, Texas January by Mark Sanders”
On the Osa by Anne Whitehouse
On the Osa by Anne Whitehouse I Into the forest, we follow a river up to a waterfall. Slowly twirling, green and yellow, leaves fall in the heavy air, and from on high a toucan trills thrillingly. Perched on a dead branch, backlit by the sky, we glimpse the bird in profile. Spider monkeys noisilyContinue reading “On the Osa by Anne Whitehouse”
One Vote by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
One Voteby Aimee Nezhukumatathil After reading a letter from his mother, Harry T. Burn cast the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution My parents are from countrieswhere mangoes grow wild and boldand eagles cry the sky in arcs and dips.America loved this bird too and made it clutch olives andContinue reading “One Vote by Aimee Nezhukumatathil”
Lucille Lang Day, What the Tortoises Know
What the Tortoises Know Galápagos Islandsby Lucille Lang Day On Genovesa, as my husband layon the beach of Darwin Bay,a sea lion came to sniff his toesand a red-footed booby, sittingwith her chick in a mangrovenearby, let me get kissing-close. On North Seymour, the frigate birdsweren’t fazed by me, andContinue reading “Lucille Lang Day, What the Tortoises Know”
The Blue Booby by James Tate
The Blue Boobyby James Tate The blue booby liveson the bare rocksof Galápagosand fears nothing.It is a simple life:they live on fish,and there are few predators.Also, the males do notmake fools of themselveschasing after the youngladies. Rather,they gather the blueobjects of the worldand construct from them a nest—an occasionalGaulois package,a string of beads,a piece ofContinue reading “The Blue Booby by James Tate”
POETRY and PLACES 