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photo by Eurico Silva/pxhere

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The Egret Thigh Deep In Evening Creek

Wading through the gloaming, almost majestic,
looking ready for a coronation, the bird stretches
wings as though sweeping night air from his regal

path; an old fellow halts to watch the display
with amused wonder that a bird could turn

a strut through a creek into an unexpected
coronation, and then the bird lifts off, awkward
at first, then turning into a glorious sweep into

the last colors of crepuscule; from a nearby
condo, comes the opening notes of A Love Supreme,

the old chap mutters a grateful prayer for night’s
beauty, the wonder of the bird, and the soundtrack
turning his trip home into a celebratory jazz mass.

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Michael L. Newell is a poet who currently lives in Florida.  He has published 17 books and chapbooks over the last 29 years.  His most recent books are  Traveling without Compass or Map  (Bellowing Ark Press),  Meditation of an Old Man Standing on a Bridge  (Bellowing Ark Press),  Wandering  (Cyberwit.Net),  and  Each Step a Discovery  (Cyberwit.Net).   He is a retired English/Theatre teacher who has lived in 13 of the United States, and 13 countries on five continents outside the United States.  

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Listen to John Coltrane play “Part 1: Acknowledgement” from his 1964 recording A Love Supreme, with McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums)

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