Faith In Humanity Restored!

Sweet silence of a Sunday morn, The world of weekday chaos shorn, Not even the honking of a horn As traffic idled, Held back by the arms of the Law, Impelled to wait, with tempers raw, Stewing in the sun's hot maw, Impatience bridled. And as I stood outside a shop, Wondering why the world had stopped, Out of the stillness came a "flop", A sound so faint. Repeated with a steady beat, Approaching from the small side street, Till into view, with flapping feet - A sight so quaint - Emerged a plodding mother duck, Welded to her scrambling pack, Never once e'en glancing back To take a tally! (Which baby duck would ever fail To follow close on mother's tail When upon the pilgrim trail, Or dare to dally?) A Moses on full purpose bent, No glance to right or left she lent As straight across the road she went, To lead her brood Down into the flowing stream, Where ducks may swim and ducks may dream, Safe from the ire and hissing steam Of traffic queued. And did she realize her luck On reaching the promised land, Ma Duck? That out of danger she'd been plucked, By humans saved? For some observant soul in sight Had soon foreseen approaching plight And brought the police upon the site To part the waves!