Killdeer Austin Johnson, US Faculty Our sisters both played five-pitch; we did not, Chasing instead the little, long-legged birds That ranânot flewâacross the playgroundâs hot Mid-July pavement. You did not know the words For what we hunted, called them road-runners. Rigging makeshifts weapons from the twigs That littered the field nearby, we spent our summer Hunting them together, just two kids Chasing the running birds. Not violent, Not really: we never even got close To catching oen, but all our time was spent Pursuing what we didnât know weâd lose. By mid-September, Grandmaâd set me straight: Sheâd said to call them killdeer, for their sound. Iâd hoped to teach you that. I was too late. When five-pitch season finally came around, Your sister had switched teams, and you were gone. I had to chase the killdeer all alone.
Hooded Merganser Jamie Lim
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