To: The Heron in the Park Next to the River that is a Concrete Bed of Shorn Grass and Litter

I wonder if you wonder.

to: the heron in the park next to the river that is a concrete bed of shorn grass and litter

do you also wonder at the barefoot human teen ankle deep in the rushing water: why he is taking photos of the yellow shoes

do you wonder at the pepper tree how it survives out of the sidewalk

do you begrudge the unnerving din of the bridge me on my phone

do you remember your dinosaur days prehistory prewriting prewords

you seem to stare ahead but your gaze is downward with your pterodactyl neck your goose body

you hunt in the puddles feed your young they wake us at dawn their nests in our pine

you: telescopic and macro you see more

what do you make of this century

where do you see us going from here

The herons nest on our street as well as down by the river. We’ve observed them for years, and I’ve been lucky enough to capture them with the good camera both mid-flight and in their colonies.

They have incredible eyesight — they reach out their necks and focus their gaze downward towards their prey. It’s also three times more detailed than human eyesight, with excellent depth perception, and has a zoom feature, like a camera.

We live in a developed urban area right at the intersection of two major L.A. freeways, and I’m often struck by the contrast of their natural adaptability high above our city streets.

I wonder if they wonder.

And so I wrote this.

E. Katherine Kottaras holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the middle, high school, and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all.

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