by Alan Olson

A brown cormorant
perches on a railing
that separates a patio
from a pond,
protecting the humans
sitting there,
overlooking the water.

She perceives
the people on the patio,
her Spirit, unperturbed.
She sits in the possibility
between the land, water, air,
ready to spring into action,
inviting us into action.

Alan Olson serves as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, NJ. He is working on a Doctorate of Ministry in Creative Writing and Public Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.