Stale Bread

Every day, the ducks are fed 

By a hand-holding old couple 

The wife breaks bread, the husband makes 

Voices, impersonating the ducks 

One day, I did not see them 

The ducks, silent, did not swim 

So, I went out a winter’s morning, 

Stale sourdough and rye 

I made their habit into mine 

In time, the ducks deemed me a friend 

They chatted when they saw me coming 

Sang at the banquet’s end 

Then, when winter thawed 

A nearby house was drowned 

In a sea of veils and blacks 

And I saw the husband sobbing 

First, I knocked with sympathies  

The door remained shut 

Next, I knocked with friendship 

The door did not budge 

At last, I left a token 

Stale sourdough and rye 

The spring thaw came and with it, I 

Left for life and its allure 

And though I’d miss new life 

Take bread and learn to swim 

I was heartened as I walked away 

For the ducks did not start singing 

They quacked and started chatting 

And across the pond, I heard it 

Stale bread on water, splashing