We had out-of-town friends visiting on Sunday, and took them to the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary (only a few miles from our house as the goose flies.) A pair of trumpeter swans had three almost-full-grown cygnets at the back pond, away from the honking geese, the ever-present mallards, and other water fowl. Our friends sprung for some corn to share with the birds, and we still had a little when we reached the swan family. The cygnets had no clue about what to do with the yellow stuff that we tossed in their direction, but one of the parents soon came over and demonstrated. It was great fun watching them learn to eat a new kind of food. That experience inspired the draft of this poem:
Cygnets at the Pond
Curious cygnets swim along the shore
as visitors approach the pond,
tossing corn in their direction.
Ungainly in their gray coats,
they paddle with oversized feet.
Long necks stretch over the water’s surface.
Beaks stay shut while corn sinks below.
Mama Swan spots the intruders,
makes a bee-line to her uncertain youngsters.
Papa splashes and bathes
in the background.
Mama bends her neck. Dip. Peck.
Her strong bill aims and retrieves a prize.
She repeats the performance over and over:
Dip. Peck. Swallow.
Dip. Dip. Peck. Swallow.
Dip. Dip. Peck. Peck. Swallow.
Visitors throw more corn.
Her gray trio watches intently.
Finally one joins in, followed by the others–
Dip. Peck. Miss.
Dip. Dip. Peck. Miss.
Dip. Dip. Peck. Peck. Miss.
Dip. Dip. Dip. Peck. Peck. Peck. Swallow!
Book-Giveaway Alert!
Want to win a copy of STARLIGHT SYMPHONY? Head over to PBJamz, listen to my interview with music teacher/author Tonnye Fletcher, and leave a comment on her blog. You’ll be entered into a drawing for a copy of my brand-new book. Tonnye also shares some great ideas for using STARLIGHT SYMPHONY in the classroom.
And be sure to visit Teacher Dance, where Linda Baie celebrates the turn to autumn with a pressed leaf and a poem, and hosts today’s Poetry Friday roundup.
I love a you-are-there poem like this, and what is it about the word “ungainly” that is so specific and expressive? Lovely.
What a fun way to show the cygnets learning to eat the corn. And I’m excited to read your newest, Buffy!
So much is learned from parent example.Lovely poem and stunning pics!
I’m imagining every young parent trying to coax their kids into trying a new food! How fun that you caught parenting-in-the-wild!
Buffy, the repetitive ending to your poem makes me want to sit by the pond and wait for the geese. When they do come it is like a convention with different groups enjoying the chatter and fluffing of wings. I am in awe of this group that often walks in groups of 20 or more. You inspired me to not only capture the scene but write about it.
Oh, lovely, Buffy!
We used to go to a park, when my girls were little, that had swans. We’ll never forget the time one of them raced ashore and charged us. 😀
Truly a delight — hearing about your experience and then reading your poem. Now I’ll be thinking of “dip peck swallow” for the rest of the day . . . 😀
Thanks, Jama! A dippity-do day to you!
Buffy, I love the gorgeous action shot you caught of the swan. Stunning! Your observations about the cygnets were fascinating. I would have assumed that they would have known what to do instinctively.
Thanks, Tracey. I think lots of birds learn through observation and experience.
Thanks for sharing this delightful experience through poetry. I love the “Dip. Dip. Peck. Peck.” scene. So sensory.
It was cool to see them figure out something new as we watched!
Hurrah for “Dip. Dip. Dip. Peck. Peck. Peck. Swallow!”. I’ve watched a number of reels showing animal parents teaching. It is great that you saw and captured it in your poem, Buffy, and as I looked at the pics, the photos show it clearly, too! Animals know exactly what they need to do, don’t they? I’ll see if I can get over to join in the drawing for your book, but you should be excited, too, that I already have it coming from my library! They don’t always have new books I know about, but they have ordered yours! Can’t wait to read it!
Thanks for letting me know that your library has STARLIGHT SYMPHONY, Linda–that makes me smile!
Lovely imagery. And I have corn stuck in my teeth.
I have some floss if you need it.