One Penguin, Standing in Snow

(From a photograph in National Geographic)

Published in Cascade Reader

45 people stand on packed snow

with 45 cameras

and take 45 pictures of one penguin

staring at them.

How long before we get it right?

44 people look directly at one penguin

and experience the actual experience

of seeing a live and curious penguin

while one human,

selected for altruism, takes one photo,

and all can have a copy,

or better yet, 45 people

occasionally

visit one photo of one penguin

standing in snow.

Or a painting,

from memory,

of a penguin standing in snow.

Or people gather together and remember

a penguin standing in snow

Or solitary memories

of a penguin standing in snow,

of 45 people standing in snow,

watching one penguin,

standing in snow.

Or a poem about 45 people

standing in snow

watching one penguin

standing in snow.