How easy to judge at first glance
to sum me up and decree:
“She’s uppity, just look how she walks;
see, there’s mud on her toes,”
and on they talk.

Heads wagging, not knowing
that mire hides treasures sweet:
morsel-gems to nourish a soul,
sequestered dark and deep;
stored just for me.

I Am created me perfectly,
a tailored contrast, ebony on white,
gliding along on stilts so strong
with a view that others rarely
pause to see.

My wild niche fits sweet
with water shallow, screens of green,
and beaches warm where I can nest.
With fellows here, we watch and keep
through life-tempest.

If you will, come closer please;
sit there, don tights of pink,
perceive through chestnut eyes
poised over beak straight and true.
Let Light come to you.

Paths of purpose we may walk
as parcels of the plan.
Judge not the visage strange;
take time to look,
acclaim and understand.

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked stilts have the longest legs for their size of any bird, second only to the flamingo. As such, they are abundantly equipped for foraging on fresh and saltwater mud flats and marshes. There they spot insects, tadpoles, aquatic crustaceans, and seeds to feed upon. With their long slender bills they expertly extract their food. Found during the winter along the southern coastal regions of the United States, some remain year-round while others migrate to more northerly climes for summer breeding and raising of young. Their striking dainty appearance makes them a favorite of nature lovers everywhere.

Black-necked Stilts Flying over Eco Pond in Everglades National Park