A Snowy Egret

Coos Bay reflected the color of the early morning sky: purple. In all my years of living at the Oregon Coast, I have never seen a bay this color.

Not a single vehicle in the parking lot. Elmer and I had the boat ramp and bay beach to ourselves. I relished this silence and solitude.

We hit the beach and Elmer zoomed to the wrack line. I looked south and saw snowy egrets a hundred yards away hunting in the shallow water and mud flats. I counted 15. The nearest one began moving my direction and coming closer to shore. I walked toward it on a parallel course.

I have seen a great many snowy egrets in my life but never one hunting 20 yards away in a purple bay.

The egret stopped. I stopped. I watched it stand motionless for 30 seconds and then its beak stabbed the water, a splash arose, then a purple ripple tinged with orange did its mathematical thing. The egret had speared a tiny fish and gobbled it down. I saw the undulation of the egret's throat swallowing the fish.

I instantly recognized this as the most beautiful sight I have ever witnessed in nature. It was worthy of a haiku so I began composing one that very moment. I recently had read an engrossing book about the history of haiku and how the immortal haikus from the classic era of Sappho all possessed a subtle urgency and mystery in their 17 syllables.

I counted syllables with my fingers. The words weren't working.

The bay was losing its purple sheen as more light arrived. It was now or never with the haiku. A deadline that must be met or I would never write the haiku. I knew that. Life comes at you this way sometimes and you had best respond with alacrity. Indifference and procrastination lead nowhere except wild lawns and boats marooned forever in back yards.

I looked for Elmer. He was 15 yards away, staring at something in the dune grass. I went over to investigate.

It was a young homeless couple camped out. They were both standing, pulling up their pants. I said good morning. The woman said good morning. She brought a vaping device to her mouth and inhaled. Did she notice the color of her rising?

I turned around and looked for the egret. It was flying away.

Write goddammit! And don't put the homeless couple in there!

Snowy egret flies

above Coos Bay purple haze

Homeless woman vapes