The Egrets

Sungai Petani has very few hills, hence the open view. And the few existing hills are being relentlessly cut away, one of which is almost gone. It's more flat land, rice-fields on the west and housing estates all around. Trees are getting lesser due to the fast pace of development of satelite towns, especially on the eastern side where once rubber or palm oil estates flourished.

There's still a huge track of mangrove trees beside the Sg Petani river where hundreds of egrets make their nests. At dawn they'd fly off in groups to the padi-fields to forage for food and every evening they make their way home again.

It's lovely just looking at them leaving the river at dawn or heading for home at dusk. Sometimes we get to see them flying in their customary V-Formation. Some of them have probably lost their migratory instincts. They come home late and alone, looking lost, and just heading in the general direction of the river.

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The Egrets


Against an evening sky with dashing strokes of brush

The great Artist paints with coloured ink and wash

Gentle breezes warmly stroking hair and face

Greeting folks on evening walks keeping healthy pace

In the fading light of yellow and orange hue

To the mangroves where young ones feeding is due

From soggy rice fields to cosy nests for the night

Straggling egrets on their homebound flight

Each dawn a relentless struggle in search of food

Till dusk a continuous duty to nourish their brood

People, environmant and nature to blend we must

From birth, nourishment and growth till all turn to dust