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Tyty
IC NEWSLETTER -
SPRING 2009 27
I hadn’t seen him for a while.
Usually he was in the marsh,
still, stalking fish I couldn’t see
until he speared one and tilted
his head back, his beak then the
apex of his neck, revealing the
fish that he swallowed whole,
like an olive after draining a
martini.
He must have left, I thought,
when winter blew in and tight-
ened the marsh until the water
froze between him and the fish.
Then I heard the quiet flap of his
wings through the wind’s whis-
per and saw him rise above the
ice and straw reeds.
His body, lean and long,
beak piercing the air, soared
as if at last he knew it was time
to go.
This bird whose legs,
once powerful, had become
twigs
that barely supported him -
whose beak,
once a spear like a critic’s pen
fishing for faults, had become a
dulled pointed stick –
this heron rose,
riding the air with grace and
ease,
and disappeared.
I stayed and watched
the sun paint the way, then
linger
before fading for another star.
Al Miller
Heron, Another Flight
For Tom, 1915 - 2008
high standards to equitation in
Lebanon. He was often a judge at
horse shows.
Tom also composed several short
classical pieces. He set Robert Frost’s
“Stopping by a woods on a snowy
evening” to music. In addition, he
composed musical accompaniment
to poems by friends and the
American poet, Mary Oliver.
Like many others, I remember Tom
as an unselfish, kind, witty and
always-interested friend, one who
helped many people in his long
life of service and never asked for
anything in return. He loved life
and lived it well. Like hundreds of
others, I will miss his presence in my
life, a friend, advisor and wonderful
conversationalist.
Al Miller
IC teacher (1960 -63) and English
Dept. Chair (1966 - 71)
There will be a celebration of Tom
Weaver’s life, Sunday, May
3rd, in Arrowsic, Maine, at Al
Miller’s house.
Tom decided he wanted his ashes
on the banks of the Kennebec
River where Miller lives.
For more information, contact
Al Miller: millerlaff@rcn.com.