Some animals seemed to feel
it coming before people did.
Red ruffed lemurs began
alarm calling.
In the Great Ape House,
Iris, an orangutan,
let out a guttural holler.
The flamingos huddled
together in the water
seconds before people
felt the rumbling.
The rheas got excited.
And the hooded mergansers —
a kind of duck — dashed
for the safety of the water.
~Found in The Washington Post, August 24, 2011
My friend and fellow poet David Weinstock sent me the article. Thanks, David.
The diversity of animal responses are fascinating. And for some reason, I had never before considered the double-meaning of “duck” in this context…