A Thing Of Joy To Keep In Memory Poem by Francis Duggan

In Waverley's Jells park I felt in luck
A rare, rare sighting of rare freckled duck
A pair swam and dived not far from the lake shore
A dozen metres maybe even more.

Near 8 p.m. on dull november day
And night fall less than half an hour away
With aid of binoculars I had a rare view
Of rare rare birds their numbers only few.

The freckled duck on the protected list
But some shooters the temptation can't resist
In duck season some freckled duck still die
Uncaring shooters shoot them as they fly.

I hope this pair at Jells park lake will stay
And not fly off to bush lake miles away
To Jells park lake no shooter venture near
The penalty if caught far too severe.

A blackbird whistled in the twilight gray
Near 8 p.m. of dull november day
And from lake shore two freckled duck I see
A thing of joy to keep in memory.