THE TAUP The Taup Rides out the roughest sea. Battered by breakers, It preserves its buoyancy. After a curling wave Comes crashing down, The Taup swims lightly Through the seething foam. Somehow the ocean's fury Leaves the little bird untouched. This concession To a fragile creature is instructive: No force of nature Is entirely destructive. THE SQUAT-TAILED OWL Escaping the sun, The Squat-tailed Owl Seems an unlikely predator. Short and stout and sluggish, Still as the perch it slumps upon, To all appearances unthreatening Unless you know What to be frightened of, As smaller animals And birds have learned to be. They know the difference Between the little owl Is as simple As the difference Between night and day, Between a hunter as swift And silent and lethal in the dark As it is safe to ignore Or even torment When blind to light. And they know To watch out for the dawn, Keeping their guard up At the changing of the guard, Because an owl That has come up empty-taloned And rests with its eyes Squinted shut, May still hunger for a meal Before repose. Not to see well Is not the same as not see at all. Less of a danger Is still danger none-the-less. So creature wisdom Has concluded this: In early morning, Beware a dozing owl Because half asleep Is also half awake.