Breakfast For the Ducks

Near the fountain stands the male
In iridescent glory,
But his mate begins this tale,
A true Manhattan story.

These same ducks have made their home
Outside a high-rise building.
I see them swim or sleep or roam;
The truth requires no gilding.

This morning, early, as he waits,
The female, with intention
Of what she now anticipates,
Insists on prompt attention.

She marches right up to the door,
By which a doorman’s standing
And opens up her beak to score
The meal she is demanding.

In full regalia, he complies
And grabs a baggie waiting,
Then shoos some pigeons to the skies,
Their hope for food deflating.

He sprinkles breakfast for the pair,
Who gustily start eating
And I walk on so I can share
This urban morning meeting.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2023

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Wolf Avatar
June 28, 2023 at 5:29 PM
Duck, Duck, --- I guess the doorman is the 'goose,' eh?! lol.
Borke Avatar
June 28, 2023 at 1:18 PM
I always enjoy how you extract so much nature out of the city.
Flood Avatar
June 25, 2023 at 3:40 PM
Smashing write, Ilene.Great rhyming as always. We have a bunch of ducks that come for their breakfast daily at this time of year. So I speak from experience when I applaud your decision to walk on, because Ducks mating is about as vicious a thing as you’d ever care to witness.
Allison Avatar
June 25, 2023 at 12:34 PM
aww this is so so charming Ilene, i love the doorman shooing away the pigeon's so he can feed his 2 feathered friends:-) hugs Jan xx
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