“If you could be anything, what would you be and why?

My challenge to all poets is to ponder this question and then write a poem about it.”

AD Author and Poet Joseph

There are truly many creatures that I admire

And many places on this earth I’d like to dwell

But if I had a choice in my very first reincarnation

Living the life of a loon in the north woods would be swell

This majestic aquatic creature of the northland

Is one of the oldest living bird species on this earth

Its ancestors roamed the world’s waters over 65 million years ago

And this fact truly fills my soul with both wonderment and mirth

The ancient Native American bands of the vast Great Lakes Region

Have very many legends about this intriguing bird we call the loon

I’ve been fascinated by this great ‘earth diver’ ever since childhood

And I love listening to its extremely haunting and eerie ancient tunes

And if I were allowed somehow to be born again on this planet

I would love to come back to my beloved north woods as a loon

Awakening each dawn surrounded by Creation’s magnificence

Swimming gloriously free and unfettered

And chanting their magnificent awe-inspiring tunes

I would also raise my many feathered younglings

To appreciate the bounty of earth’s glorious waters and woods

And every north woods evening I would lovingly call out to my mate

Knowing in my ancient heart and soul that our life together was truly good

©2005, Ed Kostro