Birding

He grew up in a forgotten Twin Cities
Neighborhood, primarily black and poor.
His was a life of fear and insecurities.
Dirty alleyways were his to explore.
He knew cracked concrete, not cool streams and trees.
He had no illusions there would ever be more.
From a high school teacher he learned birding,
A black man like him who loved birds’ singing.

He would not be confined to urban spaces.
He sought wilderness in the forested north,
Along the shores Lake Superior.  Places
Where birds of many kinds charted a course
Through the thick forests.  He fast embraces
The peaceful outdoors, for it was the source
Of inspiration for his photography,
He took acclaimed photos of the chickadee,

Warbler, loon, crow, yellowthroat, and flicker.
He was at home sleeping for days in a tent,
But not everyone wanted him there.
Bullets flew past his head, not by accident.
A black man in the woods was too much to bear,
For those who believed by divine covenant
The wilderness was meant for just one race.
But he, like the birds, also owned this sacred space.