The Guest of a Summer

By: Sean Tang '28

They thought 
something chewed its legs away
when they first found it, mud-stained, 
frozen over
patches of swaying reed grass.

But the cutoff was clear.
Where flesh and talon belonged,
were two eerie stumps.
A lustrous pair, willow-thin 
with a wax-like smoothness--
glaring under the cruel summer sun.
Pristine,
Spotless--
Holy.

Deformity.

They noted,

Possible disease, trauma, or development defect.

While sinking its rootless legs

    Abnormally large pectoral muscles.

Along with its diligent wings

    Near-absent fat reserves.

Into its cylindrical grave.
​
    More investigation needed.

Gliding atop the gilded Formalin,
as if returned to the first water--
The guest of summer flies beyond the day.