To the Shad, by Steve Ewing

"When the shad bush blooms, the herring are running." That's what the old-time islanders say. [file photo, Tiasquam Valley, May 15, 2009]


This is a bit late, due to my not having noticed the attachment in Steve's e-mail a couple of weeks ago. The shad blooms have now passed; the white that now dots the landscape is beach plum.

To the Shad                                 


Each spring
I wait
So patiently
Until
One day
So gracefully
The shad
Displays
It’s
Early bloom
After herring
Flagged
By fluttering
Osprey
Leave silver scales
On low tide rocks
Near fresh pond runs
Sweet shad
O’re hangs
These pools
Discrete harbinger
Faithful
Hardy strong
And true
A feathery
Red brown leaf
Gently flushing
Small
White flowered
Blooms


Dedicated to Scott Ewing
April 25, 1960- February 15, 1985


Steve Ewing