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.
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The diversity of animal responses are fascinating. And for some reason, I had never before considered the double-meaning of “duck” in this context…