Poem: Sanctuary

We pulled off the highway on the wetlands road.
Not allowed to stop the night, we could
only hope to rest an hour, then drive on.
We were so tired.

Leaving the stubbled hills
below, the moon pushed up the sky:
cold goddess, round and isolate,
immaculate, whole.

It was not possible to close our eyes.
The water glowed, unearthly blue.
Wet and rustling, the marsh drifted
through open windows.

Then they came. A sudden calling,
growing closer, a flurry of wings,
a clangor of talk and barks
and the geese were down.

The goddess moon gave us light
enough to watch them smooth feathers,
duck for grubs, yank grasses.
Silver, the moon sailed high.

Our hour passed. Rested, we drove on.