The Heron

a poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

On the meadow that had been cut in half by the motorway
cattle grazed oblivious of the constant hum of traffic.
A heron walked amongst them
flapping its wings squawking
trying to get some attention
but was totally ignored by the ruminants.
It then took flight across the alien river
made of asphalt
climbed slowly too slow
and flew into an oncoming removal van.
Strangely, it survived with a broken wing
which it dragged along ground
trying to reach the safety of the hard shoulder,
and did, but a car swerved and ran over it,
its driver had a grin that, a scar of hate on his lips
while his companion had covered her eyes with her hands,
mouth open screaming her horror
by this wanton act of senseless cruelty.
On the meadow cattle kept grazing.