I was out back with the hound today and noticed a crowd of Canada geese near my neighbors’ dock. One goose paddled close to shore, and was quickly chased away by another. Wondering what was causing the hullabaloo, I tiptoed through the woods for a closer look and found….goslings!
After a quick trip back to the house to grab my camera, I watched the new family for quite a while. They were charming, scurrying about while Papa Goose stood as a sentinel, and Mama Goose clipped the grass. And the other geese on the lake seemed as taken with watching goslings as I was.
I posted a few goose photos and wrote a few lines about them on Facebook–I didn’t plan to post a goose report on my blog. But then tonight I read Laura Salas’s Poetry Friday post–a skinny. I vaguely remembered the form (not sure if I’ve written one) and was inspired to write a quick draft in honor of our new neighborhood flock. And, of course, to have an excuse to share some gosling photos (I was a little too far away for crisp photos on a cloudy day, but they are still cute birthday photos.)
Goslings’ First Day
New parents follow their flock —
Fluffballs
that
peck-
peep…
Fluffballs
that
scurry-
totter.
Fluffballs
flock, their new parents follow.
–©Buffy Silverman
Be sure to visit Christie at Wondering and Wandering, where you’ll find more feathered inspiration and all of this week’s Poetry Friday posts.
What fun! I love the playfulness of your skinny (so hard to write when I’ve tried them). We have geese that visit our pond regularly, but I haven’t spied any goslings yet.
So adorable! You’re so lucky to have them nearby. Wish I could hug those fluffballs . . .
Love your skinny! The form is perfect to match the long neck of the mother goose. The little ones are so cute!
Well done, Buffy! Your skinny is as much fun to read as those sweet goslings are to see! The repeated word, fluffballs is perfect. 🙂
How wonderful! Good neighbor that you are, I have no doubt you will be keeping close watch on these peeping, pecking, fluffball totterers. 😀
I saw your FB pics, and appreciate all that you share, Buffy. They are darling to see. I hope I’ll be seeing a few at the lake when I visit these next weeks. Love the skinny, “fluffball’!
I love it! Nice job with the first and last lines, the hardest part of a skinny in my opinion. We have a pair of geese at our little pond but no goslings. Now I’m worried it’s too late. I am desperate for fluffballs.
Awwwwww, I love those little fluff balls. So sweet…life wants to live.
Thanks for these great photos. They really are “fluff balls” and so cute with their big tall parents.
Mazel tov on the new family. I like your poem too, of course.
Fluffballs indeed. Love the peek at these cuties and the repetition in your poem.