With a mission
to check upon
a heron rookery,
I invited
a friend
to join me.

The young’uns
sat upon their
nests of sticks
waiting for
the next meal
to arrive.

With the flap
of  wings
slowed in rhythm, 
landing gear
was extended 
in the form 
of long legs
and feet.
Within minutes, 
a meal of fish
was regurgitated
and 
passed 
from 
parent
to 
child.

Because of 
our location
beside 
a slow-flowing river,
many other sights
caught our 
attention.
But it was one
with a 
penchant for moisture
who stood 
as tall 
as my chin 
that garnered
the most attention. 

I've oft 
relished its 
pleated leaves
of green, 
their manner 
that of the
lily family.  

In a 
clasping formation,
they attach
to the main stem,
spirally arranged
from bottom
to top. 

I've seen 
the plant often
in its leafy rendition, 
but today
was the first time
its star-shaped flowers
atop the plant
revealed themselves. 
With 
petals and sepals
combined
 as tepals,
my friend noted
their resemblance
to the leaves below.

The more we looked, 
the more we realized
there were others
who also 
revered 
such a unique structure, 
in particular 
the nectar-producing glands
at each flower's base.
The plant
 took advantage,
 or so it seemed, 
 of allowing those
who ventured
into its sweetness
with a dash,
or perhaps 
a dollop, 
of pollen
to pass on
for future reference.

Because of its location
in the moist habitat,
insects formerly aquatic,
such as 
the Alderfly,
did walk
with sluggish movements.

Up its stout stalk
one rose,
the fuzzy structure 
perhaps providing 
it texture
upon which to climb.
Did it seek 
the bright yellow anthers? 
Or the nectar below? 

With wings
delicately veined
and folded over
like a tent,
the Alderfly 
paused
and hardly pondered
its next move.

The flower
mattered not
for this 
weak flyer.

At last
it reached 
the tip 
of the 
long, upright
inflorescence,
conical in form,
and I wondered:
would it pierce 
the unopened flowers
for a bit 
of nutrition? 
Perhaps not,
for adults 
of this species
have a need
more important 
than eating. 
Theirs is to
mate,
particularly at night.
Maybe it was 
a he,
looking for a sight 
to meet
a she.

As it 
turned out, 
not all
who had 
canoodling 
on their minds
could wait 
until the day 
darkened
to 
night. 

Meanwhile,
there were others 
who sought
the sweet satisfaction
of nectar 
for their needs.

And in 
the process 
of seeking,
tads of pollen
decorated 
their backs,
in this case
where X 
marks the spot. 

It was 
a place
for many 
to gather
and garner
including 
Lady Beetles 
of many colors.

And upon 
those pleated leaves,
were Mayflies
who had 
lived out 
their short lives, 
and Craneflies
taking a break,
while showing off
their wings
reminiscent 
of stained glass. 

After such 
an up-close greeting
of the delicate flowers,
and recognizing 
for the first time
their immense splendor,
June 15
will forevermore be
the day 
to celebrate
False Hellebore.