Great Blue Heron

 

The still blue heron stands.

Smoke-blue he is, and grey

As embers of yesterday.

Still he is, as death;

Like stone, or shadow of stone,

Without a pulse or breath,

Motionless and alone

There in the lily stems:

But his eyes are alive like gems... 

Excerpt from the poem The Blue Heron by Theodore Goodridge Roberts

Today as I stood on the bridge over Deep Water Pond (Connetquot River State Park), and gazed out over the water, I saw a Great Blue Heron standing in the pond. He was so still, I almost did not notice him. They are such strange, impressive, and serene looking creatures, I feel as though they belong in another world, perhaps a zen-like place.