The leader at the “V” point changes
so the responsibility of bearing the brunt,
breaking the flight path, does not fall on any one
even exceptionally strong goose,

but is borne by many if not all the flock in turn.
Watch the sky one day to see how they effortlessly
change position, keeping an even space between,
straightening the crooked line,

without complex speech or obvious negotiation,
without campaign, voting or capitulation.
Each seems to know their place
in the grand scheme

as if
they were all connected,

as if all
were the whole.

Margaret Dubay Mikus
© 2010

From Thrown Again into the Frazzle Machine