Gosling Time!

Our little lake is a popular spot for Canada geese this time of year. A pair has been hanging out near our dock for over a month, and I wondered if they had a nest in the nearby thicket. The other day I found the answer–the male goose positioned himself between me and the dock while the female paddled away. It took a bit before I realized she had company–five little goslings wobbled at her side. After she led them away from me her mate followed, warning me with a few honks that I was not welcome on their family outing. By the time I came back with my camera they were close to the shore again, hidden in the marsh. Mama led them away again, but not before I snapped a few photos.

The goose family inspired a tricube poem. I learned about tricubes a couple of weeks ago when reading a post on Matt’s blog. A tricube follows three simple rules:
1. Each line has three syllables.
2. Each stanza has three lines.
3. A poem contains three stanzas.
Aha…the formula for a tricube poem is similar to the formula for the volume of a cube–(line length)3 vs. (side length)3! If you have never written a tricube, it’s a fun form to try.

Mama Goose led her five goslings away from me.

Flotilla

Five fluffballs
huddle close
to Mama.

Papa guards
his small fleet.
Honk! Hiss! Honk!

Calm returns.
Goslings peck,
sway, paddle.
–©Buffy Silverman

She swam between me and the goslings.

Mama decided I was no longer a threat. Papa honked.

Visit Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme where Matt has today’s Poetry Friday roundup!

21 thoughts on “Gosling Time!

  1. How wonderful! My husband glimpsed some ducklings on one of our walks recently, but since then Mama Duck has been keeping them under cover so I have yet to see them. I’ve been able to see tadpoles though, and I wrote tricube about them (also after learning about the form on Matt’s blog :-). Thanks for sharing the photo and your poem!

  2. Such a cuddly soft poem to go with your pics Buffy. I love the “Five fluffballs,” and they do seem calmer in the 3rd pic,
    thanks for this sneak peek at the new brood!

  3. Such a great snapshot of this family flotilla! I haven’t been to the park where I usually see babies for a month or so. You make me want to pack up and go today!

  4. The alliteration is Fabulous!

    We have a mama duck sitting on a nest of 10 eggs under the end of one of the slides on the playground (well protected and cordoned off). I’m worried about how she’ll get her fluff balls to water. They’ll have to walk across the soccer field in plain sight of local hawks and get through the fence to the intermittent creek along our property. Hopefully papa duck will provide protection…

  5. Wonderful! Those fluffballs have stolen my heart. 🙂 Nature has been good to you to offer so much inspiration for National Poetry Month, Buffy. It’s been nice having a peek at all the goings-on in your corner of the world.

  6. I haven’t been over to my lake recently, wonder if there are any little ones there now? I love the tricube, much fun with that “Honk! Hiss! Honk!, Buffy. And I love that you are so near your lake. Happy Spring!

  7. love the simplicity of this tricube of a complex family outing. Wonderful images and sounds tucked into just 9 syllables. Wow! You make me want to try this form even more.

  8. great photos, cute poem. I will try to write some.soon. Luckily, a few years ago I was walking near a pond in Southampton and held a baby for a few second till it jumped down. No fuss from either parent.

  9. Very cute, Buffy – I love the title! Glad you found some inspiration with the tricube…today I’m actually featuring several that readers have shared with me, so I’ll be sure to include your link as soon as my post is published (which will hopefully be soon!)

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