Two Men in a Boat

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Two Men in a Boat...

It was about 1 pm
and I was driving
along the river to the office.

I had promised myself
that if I did two solid hours work
I could leave at 3pm
and have a walk
and be back home
before the sun dropped low
and the winter's cool crept in...

But on the way
I spied an interesting little scene
unfolding,
and turned my car
at the next roundabout
and retraced my route...


'til I found the row boat
with two men
who were setting their crab pot
beside the mangroves
in a loop of my river


But can you see
they are not alone
they have company...

A curious pelican
is circling their boat
attracted by the crab pot's
smelly bait

Blue T shirt man drops over the pot
and pelican comes to inspect...

and then
there are two inspectors...

and then
there are three...

two men in a boat
are not happy
with their pot placement

so they stop to take a fishing lesson
from Pelican number two

and then replace their pot
before green T shirt man
takes the oars
and begins to row home...

accompanied by the pelican...

wait for me!

I'm coming too...




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The Visitors Return

The Visitors have returned...

When I came in from my afternoon walk
I found that the recent visitors
had once again
taken up their positions
doing the tree pose
on my deck....

I took their photo
through the glass
so as not to disturb
their composure
and equanimity


and then went outdoors.
I saw the Brahminy kite
and I want to snap him too,
and at my intrusion
and the visitors made to leave...

I sat on the edge of the deck
photographing the Brahminy kite,
unsuccessfully,
and along came a pelican...

Hello Mr Pelican, I called
and he came right up to the water's edge
below where I was sitting...
I was thinking that I may be
developing the Attenborough touch...

when he elongated his immense bill,
and as I looked down
he snapped up a dead fish
from the sand

clenched it in his bill

and turned to swim away
from the shore...

from where he dropped the fish
down into his pouch

and with a toss of his head
he swallowed it...

the ducks on the deck above,
meanwhile,
were oblivious to the whole show
and went back to sleep...

resuming their favourite yoga pose

after a few minutes
the pelican returned
to look for dessert...

and look
can you see
that the fish
is still lodged at the bottom
of his long neck...





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