The fallen leaves scatter like chickens.
A squadron of ducks floats on the river,
silently paddling upstream,
hunting among the rocks and
rippling reflections of late afternoon sunshine.
A white crane steps among the reeds along the bank
and a large grey crane stands proudly on a stone in the center of the stream.
Cameras do not understand up or down, heat or cold.
They record angles, not feelings,
so my amateur attempts to pixelate
the pleasure of my surroundings
yields unpretty birds.
Christina E. Petrides teaches English on Jeju Island, South Korea. Her poems have appeared in periodicals worldwide. Her verse collection is On Unfirm Terrain (Kelsay Books, 2022). She is the author of three children’s books, all published in South Korea.
Her website is: www.christinaepetrides.com