Walking in the Nutley park along the Third River
Curious to see the bricked stream bed and walls
Wondering if the Morris Canal followed this way
Going towards the Second River in Newark.
It is Sunday afternoon.
We are walking
And looking for birds and looking at people
In this urban neighborhood park.
Many people are here enjoying the spring day.
You can walk for two miles end to end.
It’s a pleasure to discover this place.
We have our binoculars ready to look
To see what moves in the new foliage.
Up above there’s a red tail hawk watching us,
Peering down from high on a dead branch.
Down below a couple approaches us
The man excited to ask us a question.
Wearing binoculars is like wearing a sign.
He has seen a bright yellow bird in his yard
Never seen such a bird in his life before.
It was amazing to see.
What was it?
For him the experience is so extraordinary
It’s like the bird appeared as an omen
But what does it foretell for him?
That we can’t answer.
The woman thinks it was a goldfinch.
She’s probably right.
Maybe a yellow warbler but that’s not the point.
It’s the unexpected first time sighting.
When you are in a familiar place
And a bird appears that you do not recognize
That’s the augury experience teaching you
Look don’t overlook and you shall see.
We walk on and come to a quiet grove.
We can hear sweet bird calls and look up to see
A yellow rumped warbler and a goldfinch, too.
We are happy to see them here among us.
