Swans Ll Poem by Morgan Michaels

Guiltless-they
never flustered me
but like an actor in a play
I fed them corners of the crusts of bread
and tufts of candy cotton, pink and green
thrown on the solvent scene
all the which they gratefully retrieved
and upright, thanked me dumbly and received
with gracious nods and blue shakes of the head.

All so very,
supernumerary
called by names beknown to all
to whom they were distinguishable
by which they alone were summonable
aquamarine, a dozen dozens
paddling doughtily in tandem
brother by brother, cousin by cousin
or alone by preference at random.

There was Water-Wing and Water-Weary
Clamor and Flotsome and Fade,
the lovely, sinuous O'Leary;
Then Mute and unusual Wade
would come a-begging
trailed by Sulphur-Cheek and Feather-Legging
and Crest-just short for Bottom-Crested
and jazzy, dark Trumpeter
studying themselves. all, in the water's mirror.

And many, many.....