the color of the sea
the color of the sky
are the same steel grey.
green grey mud green grey vegetation.

in the bush
the tamaracks burn
bright yellow
among black green spruce.

down from the south
a rain squall washes over us
water running in riverlettes
off our rain suits.

farther out,
across towards Shipsands*,
a flock flies low and settles into the sanctuary.

another squall rolls down over us.

we laugh and burrow deeper into our rain suits.

the tide comes in
it's time to go.

we unload our guns and walk back to the boat.
laughing that the geese aren't flying today.

at the boat a lone goose flies over,
high and wild,
and is gone before we can reload.

we laugh as it flies away.

============

*Shipsand Island lies on the west side
of the Moose River near James Bay.
It is a migratory bird sanctuary.