Who

Who

I’ve been told that they’re very wise,

And show up when least expected a big surprise.

In back woods, low valleys, or mountains high,

They move through the darkness beyond my eyes.

I caught a glimpse of one some time ago,

Truly spectacular even if I do say so.

On cushions of air, gliding effortlessly,

In a shadowy world moving purposefully.

As I child I wanted to see them for myself,

And learn about them from books on a shelf.

Pages turned, paragraphs read filling my head,

Revealing a picture so I’m not misled.

My four-legged partner stood with head turned,

‘Cause never heard its call it caused him concern.

Standing in the grasses that lined the road,

My dog knew for sure it wasn’t a sparrow or toad.

From my memory of barns back home,

On dusty dirt roads, I and my brothers roamed.

And played in a wooden building we were told,

Was a barn of some type, to put hay in when it was cold.

In that wooden building, I’d heard the same call,

It wasn’t mice or pigeons or anything we saw.

But turning our heads to see in the corners,

Having turned we heard the call, we found the performer.

As in my youth, I loved the discovery so real,

Of the Barn Owl and its family remaining very still.

Having told my story to my furry friend,

Listening to the Owl we recognized it at the end.