Great Blue

The rabbit-faced moon rises-
sheathed in scarves of cirrus,
it spills a pearly boardwalk
across the ripple-shivering skin of the water.

A brittle-legged heron
swills through pondweed-
the knee bends, the toes fan-
contact: ripples bloom.

Morning, and the water stills.
The heron ghosts through the mist-
vast wings beating so silently.
His trembling double in the water
mirrors his flight:

The great neck dips
The long legs fold-
water rainbows, ripples:
their wingtips touch.

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Caroline Dean, age 14
Scarsdale, New York
Horace Mann School
Teacher: Thomas Katzenbach