Caspian Tern

A bright spring pushes
against winter's residue,
on a rocky shore
a foot is tethered by fishing line.

A flood tide slides up the beach
like a snake looking for a sunny rock.
The flood washes sand
into a wing-full of feathers, washes over

an upturned eye, into a gaping beak.
Ebb tide stretches the fishing line out,
wedges a wing-full of feathers
between kelpy rocks.