What The Wild Goose Knows

I occasionally find little scraps of paper at odd locations in our house, where I've written down bits of conversations and phrases and words that interested me. Yesterday I came across a torn-off fragment, with something Mom said to me last year: "No one knows what the wild goose knows." So I started wondering, was it a line from a poem, or an old saying, or what? Can't ask her anymore. When I googled the words, this is what came up.

Cry of the Wild Goose--Frankie Laine

"My heart knows what the wild goose knows,
I must go where the wild goose goes.
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin' fool or a heart at rest?

Tonight I heard the wild goose cry,
Wingin' north in the lonely sky.
Tried to sleep, it weren't no use,
'Cause I am a brother to the old wild goose..."

Thinking about geese reminds me of a guy I knew in high school. He liked to tease, and often called me "you silly goose." Since then, I have a soft spot in my heart for geese, even if they're usually cranky and try to bite people's ankles.

Another thought--if you haven't read White's essay, "The Geese," it's worth checking out--and can be found in his book, Essays of E.B. White.