the heron knows the blues
better than I do, better than you do
better than any fool-poet
winging poems like prayers
along the riverbank

the heron knows the blues
like the beat, like the beaten
better than any damned beatnik
winging poems like prayers
along the road

the heron knows the blues
three bars down, four bars down
twelve bars and ten shots later
winging whisky like a prayer
down the throat
of this mean little city on this mean little river
on this mean little day