Birds in V formation

["Jeannine Towler (JJ)" <jjtowler@PEN.K12.VA.US>]

I saw the post to LM_NET about birds flying in a V formation,
adn remembered a great poem I had about this behavior.  It's by
Bob Stromberg, who is alst a very talented storyteller, and I
wish you could hear him on the tape where he recorded it, but
I do hope you will enjoy it.

Please accept this poem as my gift to everyone on LM_NET
for Thanksgiving.

JJ

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THE GOOSE
by Robert Stromberg (Bob)

This is my goose - at least I say he's mine.
I suppose he is for the time.
He's been injured you see, so for a while he's staying with me.
No eagle claw, hooked beak or furrowed brow - of these he
has no need.
For he is quite content to fill himself with things among
the weeds - like small fish; that's a dainty dish, if you're
a goose.

That is not to say, however, and it would be wrong to think
that he is weak - not strong like the eagle.
For although the eagle may be strong in the fight - more fit
for the kill - this goose can fly further and longer than
any eagle will.

Oh, I've heard much lofty talk about eagles, falcons and hawks;
and it's not my desire, nor would I conspire to pull those
big birds down - who would dare?

Cause when I watch them flying so high up there - sometimes
but a solitary dot,
I can but gaze and wonder and utter "My gosh look at that."

But, as I implied, whether in the trees or in the skies,
eagles, falcons and hawks are almost always alone or at most
in twos - and that's what separates those birds from the goose.

I suppose those in Iowa or Nebraska would know him best,
for the sky is bigger if you live to the west.
But even as a lad nestled in the Alleghenies, I looked
forward each fall to seeing as many as 1,000 geese arrowing
into view over autumn amber elm and maple and white birch, too.

One day - lying alone in the lawn on my back with only the
drone of a distant train on some far off track, I saw before
my eyes, 5,000 feet high or more, a sight - which to this day,
I must say, I've seen nothing like before.


The head goose - the leader of the V, suddenly veered out, leaving
a vacancy which was promptly filled by a bird behind.
The former leader then flew along side the formation, continued
going wide - and found himself a spot at the back of the line.

They never missed a beat.

Well,  I was on my feet - gaping mouth - gazing south - wondering
what I'd seen.
I told my friends, they said, "So."
I said, "So!, what do you mean, So?!,"
"Have you ever seen that before - Mark?, Jay?, Paul?,"
They said, "No - but don't be a bore, let's go the
park and play ball."
So we did - we played a lot of ball when I was a kid.
And that was that.

Well, now I'm an adult, and I'm really busy.  I suppose
that's part of being grown.
But the point is, I seldom have time alone - not least
lying on the lawn looking for geese.  And if I do see some,
it's more or less luck.  Or I'll see a goose, and it's really
a duck - or maybe I'll catch a glimpse when I'm stuck in
traffic.
And that's why I'm glad for the "National Geographic."
Cause they told me what I now tell you.
And if you don't believe what I say is true, then
you can look it up.

What I witnessed that day as a child is something that's been
going on with geese in the wild since the very first autumn.

You see - their bodies are streamlined - the neck like a spear -
cutting the wind, breaking the air.
And from the ground it's impossible to see, but their wings aren't
flapping randomly.

When the lead goose grabs the wind, air is displaced -
which then rushes up to reclaim it's space only to see the
smiling face of the bird that's flying behind him,  (whose
wings just happen to be in the downward position) - a very
dangerous condition - which doesn't last for long for the
upward rush gives them a push and they're right back up
there where they belong.

This goose then grabs the air again, causing another upward
wind - lifting the bird behind - and so it goes on down the line.

So, the head goose shields the wind
and all the rest are carried by him.
In varying degrees, of course, from the back which is best,
to the front which is worst;
with very little effort, I've heard, on the part of any one bird.


Cause when the head goose has had enough, he or she drops back
and depends upon another bird for strength when strength is
what is lacked.

So that's how I found out how the goose can fly from way
up North to way down South and back again.

But he cannot do it alone.  You see?
It's something he can only do in Community.

These days it's a popular notion, and people swell with
pride and emotion to think of themselves on the
eagle's side.

Solitary
        Self-sufficient
                        Strong

But,
we are what we are, and that's something we cannot choose.

And though many would wish to be seen as an eagle,
I think God made us more like the goose.

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