Beside Still Streams

With calm,

deliberate steps,

the panda

walks to the edge

of the water,

lowers himself

belly level,

tongue pierces the water,

dipping the tip and lapping

up the water—

a repetitive motion

of scooping water

in his mouth—

a soft slurping

barely heard,

but each time

the tongue

passes into

the water,

ripples become

poetry lines

in a stanza

and as he turns

away,

a sonnet

is complete.