this was a perfectly ordinary grayish-tan duck wing feather sitting on my desk until i got up to pour myself a cup of tea, and from an angle about halfway between sitting and standing, in the light from the glass patio door, it suddenly turned into a multifaceted steel gray, caramel brown, ivory white, iridescent greenish-black gemstone of a wingfeather. by the time i was standing up straight, it was a perfectly ordinary grayish-tan duck wing feather again. it was sort of like seeing your nerdy, greasy haired high school classmate get up on stage for the talent show, and stare through his bangs at the keyboard while he plays a note-perfect rendition of scarlatti’s sonata in d major, before slumping back into his folding chair in the audience. after i got my tea and returned to my desk, i made this feather play scarlatti one more time for all of you.

mallard wing feather

turtle lake, saint paul, minnesota

Save

Save

Save