Dear Thus and So. Dear Eventually

all of us lose the gene could, trading it off
for can’t and sleep alone like
the pelican in the vast reserve lost his long-term mate
to bored ducks in a bad mood
marauding in Pond Four. Their revenge for
something, just to wear her out. Or it was time.
Called Mildred, and too old. She got tired.

A detail about him though: one wing gone,
after and also.

So he’s stuck there in paradise, minus flight.
Given a human name too – George –
in dubious compensation. A king reigning over
waterfowl-with-a-history.

What I could not see – but did –
was another pelican, one on Dairy Road
dipping down to
swallow a whole fish whole.

Noon glare, long pinkish throat lit up –
to X-ray! Live shadow-shape
ricocheted in there, down.

Bestiary of mind, unnerve, unnerve …