sandhill crane
Grus canadensis
Featured Poem:
Where to Find:
Journey the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area with binoculars at dawn or dusk in late fall/early winter. See the crane count here.
Resident Expert:
Matt Igleski is the Executive Director of the Chicago Bird Alliance.
Matt.igleski@chicagobirdalliance.org
community poems
WINTER WITH THE SANDHILL
CRANES IN INDIANA. THERE
I MET A BOY FROM ALASKA
AND EVEN HE WAS COLD.
Sun setting, purple sky
Come this way
Watch me fly
Hear me call
I won’t lie
This wave I’m riding
It goes high, high, high
Hey there friend
You made it too
All my life, this is
What I’m going to do.
Cranes fly like trains
across the continent
not always on schedule
they fly
on those same tracks
of who flew before them
movement
on which time has no power
—Jacob Miller
Whooped, whooped
Where art thou
Among ample ash
When in danger where do you retreat?
Within the coat of gray
A speck of snow
Winter, please arrive
One day…
Dropping from the skyline
Autumn leaves
All legs and neck—
magnificent in his
awkwardness
Joining thousands of others
preparing for an evening
in the wet woods
Until…
they find a jump-dance
partner
awkward feelings disposed
with the increment of
giant wings
together they roost
Streaks of sandhill silhouettes
Speckle the sky
Collectively cooing & coasting
Above the dealings they come by
Ready to roost, they rally
To rest before resuming on
Their way
Dancing & dodging as
Darkness dominates the day
Sandhill Crane
Hill
Tip toe heel
Heal
Painful him
Tic-toc tic-toc
Time flies
Fly fly
Big ears
Dumbo
Crane
Red crown
I needed to breathe
And see world
—Caroline
Swoop
low
w
w
Sweep
Westward
w
Rest with wings
w
Not so much wild
As worn
w
w
w
Worn out
w
w
weak
and
needing rest
I don’t think Jasper
Pulaski liked Sandhill
Cranes because he
gave them the coldest
place on
Earth to sleep.