MAPPING THE CITY: DC Places, Part II Mary Beth Hatem   LEARNING BIRDS Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens A young heron leads a girl— maybe six years or less—and in-between, a slender boy of four or five. Gently they follow paces behind the yellow-crowned heron; uncommonly alert, the white hatted girl has flexed her red back and pink neck into the gentle curve that promises flight; her longer, black billed brother lifts one pale weightless leg, and then—one beat later—the other, so that three now are matched in their steady, big bird gait.   Mary Beth Hatem is a long-time resident of Takoma Park, MD. She has been sharing her poems in DC-area venues for more than 20 years. She has been the managing editor of three research-to-practice professional journals, focused on professional practice in clinical engineering and drug abuse treatment and prevention. Since 2004, she has worked as an integral coach with individual and organizational clients to tackle their most challenging issues.   Published in Volume 11, Number 4, Fall 2010.