Beneath the Tranquil Sheen

A well-known trail sits just behind
The street that we live on,
And at the bottom, you can find
A path to reach a pond.

And there, upon her rightful throne,
A swan swims soft and slow,
Where in her home, she lives alone,
This swan, I've come to know.

Her slender neck and feathered wings
Attire is pure and white,
Small eyes like beads; their sharpness brings
Her sight in day or night.

I watch her gentle, graceful glide,
With burdens not revealed,
Her regal ruse still seems to hide
A loneliness concealed.

What’s covered up by beauty’s gift?
Has calmness killed her fight?
Do troubles drown beneath her drift?
Will she again take flight?

A natural need to mate for life,
I fear her mate’s passed on.
She glides along this pond in strife,
A lovely lonely swan.

But take no pity on this queen,
Her strength she cannot mask,
Beneath the water's tranquil sheen,
She's surging with a task.

The stillness in her wandering,
As ripples rise, I wonder,
Her poise provokes a pondering
Of fervent efforts under.

Some things are not as they appear,
Some surfaces hide battles,
To simply sit on ponds, swans bear
A need for frantic paddles.

When troubles come, stay on the path- 
Imagine our existence,
If everyone had even half
Of a swan's persistence.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2023

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Radice Avatar
September 9, 2023 at 12:40 PM
Excellent Jessica. A key line for me is "Some things are not as they appear". There's a great use of metaphor too - the skill of making the hard appear easy and sublime. The penultimate stanza confirms this message and is then followed by the final stanza's broader message. I really enjoyed the read. Cheers - Gary
Wheeler Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 7:48 AM
Thank you so much, Gary! Your encouragement means the world.
Inman Avatar
August 19, 2023 at 9:31 AM
Enjoyed this, it set my mind deep with memories. I knew a small pond where once lived three pairs of swans, one of white, one of black and one of white body with black neck and head. They were striking to see swimming together. Your poem also brought out the sadness I feel when I see a single Sandhill Crane standing alone, knowing they, like many birds, mate for life.
Wheeler Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 7:49 AM
Thank you so much, James!
Mcconnell Avatar
August 17, 2023 at 1:06 PM
A rather good piece of work Jessica, I like your rhyme and flow with good insightfulness too. Keep writing for you are really good, Blessings, Gordon
Wheeler Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 7:49 AM
Thank you, Gordon!
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