POETRY 

The Flamingo Mystery, March 2020
​by Kathryn Santana Goldman

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Photo by Author

Another day without people begins.
New morning rituals—becoming habits.
I wipe down counters, scrub doorknobs,
wash my hands, wash my hands, wash my hands.
 
Seeking a moment of calm,
I walk out to my front garden and find
a bright red flamingo boldly standing on one wire leg,
an abrupt addition to my artistically designed garden.
 
Then looking down the street,
I spy more have landed.
A green one for Rhonda,
orange for Chris, purple for Carmel.
 
Another day of social distancing
disrupted by this
rainbow flock
of unexpected playfulness.
 
What is the source?
Texting commences!
No one confesses to
the mystery of our avian guests.

I called mine Pepper,
Rhonda called hers Chive.
It probably wasn’t wise to name them,
but I’m eager to hold on.

The next morning
teacup in hand,
I retraced my steps--
Pepper was gone.

All of the flock had flown,
leaving the touch
of human kindness
in their wake.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathryn Santana Goldman is a native of San Francisco. Her interest in poetry began when she was working in ICU as a registered nurse. She used this practice to process the variety of stressful scenarios experienced. Over the years, she has continued to experiment with different types of writing such as short stories and plays. As an avid traveler, Kathryn has become skilled at capturing photographs about the diversity she encounters. Three years ago, she began to combine her love of photography with her writing by using the images she captures as seeds for her poems. She continues to explore new ways to use these two art forms to share her experience with family and friends.

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