Today at the gazebo
there’s sunlight,
some shade,
and the flatter side
of a south-westerly wind.

I can see some of the grass below
and keep an eye out for turtles.

A man arrives and says to his walking partner:
“I’m just going to see if there are any turtles.”
He sticks his head over the eastern edge a while—
under where the swallows enter their nest—
and then the west side,
and goes.

I’m watching a single cygnet try to pluck
some of the strands of grass
from its mother, 
then father,
then mother again.

Then there’s the kadar episode.

Eventually I too turn to go,
noticing a woman photographing
a single swan, preening itself
on a small piece of shoreline
in the shade.

A turtle would be nice to see,
(maybe I think ‘and a nice photo’).
So I start scanning for one,
then think of how that changes
one’s whole experience—
when one goes out especially looking 
for something—and I’m reminded of my
time as a dolphin spotter.
Don’t get me wrong, I think
both can be done.
But the inner gesture 
is the one to really watch.

So I cease my extractive scanning
and look back over at the woman
photographing the swan
as I walk up the little bridge to the shore.
And just then, having given up
the search for anything,
I spot a turtle
on the western side. 

I cannot help myself—
I call over to the woman—
“turtle” and point down
as he sticks his head
above the water.
She nods her head,
seeming to not
understand.
I point again.
He lingers,
then begins to go back down.

She seems interested and slowly comes over.
The turtle is moving gradually lower
but I can still see him
as he goes.
I continue pointing.
“Turtle.”
She says nothing,
and I’m not sure if she can see.
I take off my polarised glasses
and can’t see much.
I offer her mine.
She fumbles with a ‘thank you’
and a nod—Japanese?

And then the turtle is gone.

I move to go.
She stays on.
I say “have  a good day.”
She smiles again: “thank you.”
And stays looking at the water
as I head off.

***

That makes four times this last month—
once popping up, once swimming,
once apparently dead near the jetty,
and this morning.

At least two, as many as four.