The Crossing Place

There's an almost-magic hour --
Not a certain time of day,
But determined by whimsey and idea
Of willy-nilly geese.
And then, when the beasts decide to cross,
Don't put your foot on the throttle,
Or sharply toot your horn,
For the geese and cozy, wandering ducks
Will take their waddly time.
At the crossing hour,
Forget you are "impatient adult"
with "things to do," or lists to make,
Or that you have a cliff to climb!
Simply rest in the driver's seat,
Content to see the joy that comes
In the crossing hour and place.
While your motor thrums,
Become a child lost in the dreams again,
Design great cottages of the mind,
Or "think" yourself into the picture
           of the geese
And re-live a lost fairy tale.
But most of all, just sit and wait
For ducks and geese to cross
The Bandon jetty road: *
For it is their special hour!

[Near Coquille River bar,  Bandon, Or.]