Alena
Deewater

Ann
Helsel

Charles
Furey

Donald
Shephard

Doug
Fortier

Gloria
Jorgensen

Henri
Bensussen

Holly
Tannen

Jan
Edwards

Jewels
Marcus

Maureen
Eppstein

Motherbear
Scott

Nancy
McLelland

Nona
Smith

Norma
Watkins

Sharon
Gilligan

Susan
Fisher

Ty
Moore

M a u r e e n  E p p s t e i n  &  L y n n e  Z i c k e r m a n

Fledging Day

The moment opens like a gift:
infant swallows on wobbly wings
fledge from the porch-corner nest.

Their twittering glitters in ecstasy
of blue freedom, swoop and skim
of graduation caps flung high.

Hawk and raven lurk,
a long migration looms,
the art of catching insects on the wing

yet to be mastered.
But for now, a whirl of swallow wings,
a celebration.

Fledgling Day