" Celebrate "

" Celebrate "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Celebrate
existence secreted
by a chambered nautilus
or the slow-growth rings
of a single larch tree
first a seedling shedding
needles into eternity
best achieved organically
still clinging vigorously
lingering with hesitancy
tethered to nests
on the cliff's edge
built time and again
heightened awareness
closer to understandings
forever shared...

" Gregarious "...

" Gregarious "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Gregarious
found in open areas
attracted to dams
and parking lots
most in dark
breeding plumage

in large flocks
nesting in colonies
hollow barking qualities
uncommon tundra ponds

solitary methodical
bird watchers
facial markings
ages and stages

tremendous variation
locally on lakes clear grating
foraging for crustaceans

often seen singly swimming
rarely hovering pink to red legs
picking prey white nape...

" Far and Away "

" Far and Away "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Far and away
in graceful taper
across glassine lakes
on freezing cold days

hurrying home
beating metronomes
fallen first snow
dervish moments
mats of gold

weather tattered
mourning trances
in moist air
on frosted glass

knights before last
glimpsed and glanced
across spreading branches
and fresh tracks

while lollygagging
under gradual understanding
real-time synapses...

" Fairly Silent "...

" Fairly Silent "

by Suzán Jiván 
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán 

Fairly silent
one-syllable 
one-note 

guttural 
winding up
early enough

fluting
and grunting 
messaged
instructions 

sending up puffs
as structure
for cunningness 

all from
a distance
along silvery
hummocks 
over months
and months

fissures
in mud
like clues
of summer 

remotely
untouched
backcountry 

seeking balance
from the tops
of dry grasses

spying black bears
white teeth flashing
old paths and habits
being re-examined...

" Light of the Moon "

" Light of the Moon "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Light of the moon
filtering through
waxy green
holly-like leaves

shiny extra degrees
of August heat
dry windy
nighttime
imaginings
buffeted wildly

sparks flying
bonfire arson
dislodged
untended gardens

dropping
barometers
towering spars
failed rockets
in treetops

cracks
of thunder
thumping
rumbling
burning up

unencumbered
clear cutting
grubbing hoe
and shovel

rising sun
matted duff
sawn stumps
bomber runs

piling up
mercy and luck
twig and limb
detritus
high country...

" Where Ranges Overlap "...

" Where Ranges Overlap "

by Suzán Jiván 
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Where ranges overlap
as immature color patterns
V-shaped chin patches

raspy tidal flats
croaks and quacks
open grassy habitats

fresh or brackish
rolling clear chants
beaches mudflats 

songs varying
laughing chatter
bouncing rattles 

ringing whistles 
unbroken trills
flight call pitches

wandering tattlers 
larger paler
molt and wear...

" Hunched Over" ...

" Hunched Over"

 by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Hunched over
motionless
dry winds blowing

Bohemian wax wings
chasing moths
stalling swooping

Goldfinch
profound
differences

first summonings
yellow green
seen and unseen

heat-expanding
random chaos
fluttering wings

all-consuming
continental tectonic
creep bending creeks

ravenous memory
compression release
spaces in between

voids sleeping
moisture and seep
shiny layers of glittering

browning wilting serenity
rustling clattering
sun glinting lace wings...

" Color Morphs "...

" Color Morphs "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Color morphs
for northern waters
food sources
for shy albatrosses
black browed
yellow nosed

open oceans
being silent
over seas
immature dusky

white chinned
heavy billed
black capped
rare visitors

most similar
in light winds
usually obvious
like white-collared
un-commonness
limited dark
and solitary...

" Ragged "...

" Ragged "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Ragged "V"
formations
downcurving
spatulate
foraging wading
tall slender legs

bill clattering
hissing
singly seizing
fish

pointed bills
secretive
wing beats
dense reeds

gulping
pounding
grassy
habitats

harshly
quacking
low
gravelly
more
patterned

featured
overlapping
foraging
habits

following
tractors
rare
aberrant

silence
elsewhere
long legs
trailing

taking off
and landing
raptors to scale
broad tail bands

white
floating
flight
Mississippi
Kite...