Kaplunk! 

What was that woodland sound?

Simply, ... the Sound of Freedom,

To explore the forest floor,

To drift amongst the fallen timber,

To climb the low hanging branches,

To practice the art of flying.

A Primordial Calling, an irresistible force,

that pulls all creatures toward their destiny,

has driven a juvenile owlet out from the

security of her nest, in an old hollowed-out

tree snag, rising twenty feet above terra firma.

The young wings hurriedly flap,

But do not lift, as the gray mass

Plunges downward and ground debris 

Explodes skyward at the hard landing.

The bird slowly arises, as it shakes off

The stunning after effects of the sudden stop.

In two hours, our life sustaining home star will

Set below the deep green, tree-topped horizon.

There is not much vernal daylight left, for a

Four-week old, Great Gray Owl to settle into

A new life, on a safe, and secure perching spot.

Here is to you, Little One:

May you soar freely,

With the wind beneath your wings. 

May your hunts be plentiful.

May your life be fruitful and long lived, 

To a grand old age of one score years, 

At which time, Mother Earth will have reached a point 

Where its fate, and that of all mankind, 

And our wonderful creatures, 

Will be more clearly known.

__________________________________________________________________________

D W Orr
Environmentalist, Weimaraner/Dachshund Companion, Photographer, and Poet-Provocateur
Harford County, Maryland,
Here, where it all began, 252 years ago, in the USA

May 15, 2021

Eyes of Wisdom D. W. Orr Illustration: The face of a Great Gray Owlet at 4-weeks of age (ready to fledge)
Great Gray Owl Fledgling - End of Day 1 D. W. Orr Illustration: Great Gray Owlet at the end of the first day of fledging.