Misperception

I smile as I look at you from a distance

still standing on the fence post – motionless.

I gave you such life –

named you Hawk and

endowed you with beauty and

even spoke to you of it.

I watched you not moving thorough

downpours and wind.

I brought you into my meditation and

allowed you to endow me with

groundedness, unwavering motionlessness

and persistence.

I took your archetype as a power animal

who would lend me powerful wings

and keen vision.

My friend still laughs about

my telling her not to disturb you

on her walk and make you fly -

so then perhaps our other friend 

coming later in the day

would still be able to see you –

after all, you had been there for hours! 

She got close enough to see

that you were just a wooden Owl

nailed to a fence post!

What else am I not looking at

closely enough to cause me

to harbor misperceptions?!?

© Diane Harner

Carved owl at Prestbury railroad station, Cheshire, UK
Photo by Danny Molyneux
from Wikimedia Commons