Poetry by Ken Gierke
Outside, he was a giant bear
of a man, in bearded gruffness, lumbering
from here to there throwing out
insults with the best of them.
Inside, he knew he could not be
unseen, like a heron with feathers ruffled
by the wind, standing on one leg,
and feeling just as fragile.
That heron spirit was not invisible,
and will always be remembered.
About the Poet
Ken Gierke started writing poetry in his forties, but found new focus when he retired. It also gave him new perspectives, which come out in his poetry, primarily in free verse and haiku. He has been published at Vita Brevis, Tuck Magazine, The Ekphrastic Review, and Eunoia Review. His work can be found at his blog.
Vita Brevis Press. 
I love the images here, Ken–the bear of a man with the heron spirit.
The Audubon print is perfect, too.
Thank you, Merril. Knowing the truth behind a brave face can tell you a lot about a person.
That is so, true, Ken.
Thank you, Brian, for giving this a home.
Well done, riverdude. Impressive tribute.
Thank you kindly, Ron.
A wonderful tribute to your bear/heron friend. And a reminder to all that true self is hard to hide from those close.
Thank you, Jazz. Understanding comes in knowing.
Your poetry never disappoints us Ken. I love this. 😊
Thank you, Walt. 🙂
You’re welcome Ken 😊
A wonderful visual comparison to show that people are complicated. Thanks for sharing.
That they are. Understanding that leads to recognizing their inner qualities.
Thank you.