Poem: Ducklings & Bread

A friend once gave me a little fortune/horoscope thing that said I should follow where love takes me, like a little duckling. To remind me to be less of a butt-head, I bought myself a little stuffed animal duckling to keep in my car.

In the past half-year or so, I've done just that... follow along like a little duckling. And the following poem should give you an idea of how this metaphor has played out in my life so far.

In advance...thank you for reading.



Ducklings & Bread


Little duckling in the lake
Swim on over and get your take
Feast on as much as you like
A loaf of bread, come take a bite

Come in closer and I can see
You’re as cute as a duck can be
‘Whaaap!’ I kick you just because
Off run in a puff of fuzz

Away into the water you run
Upset that I had ruined the fun
Of partaking in this yummy treat
Quickly you paddle your tiny feet

Look, I’m still throwing bread
You reconsider your swim ahead
Around you turn and now you know
It’s not really how you thought it so

When you felt the thud of my heel
Pain wasn’t what I meant you to feel
It was to guide you another way
“Look, a bigger piece!” what I meant to say

Now you know I meant the best
Despite the quick pain in your chest
My intentions were for you to be
Aware of all the things you can see

Now and then we need that kick
To get us seeing, get our brains to tick
To remind us that it’s fine to accept
And disallow options that might intercept

Sometimes that quick moment of pain
Is the only way that you can gain
More than just what’s in your head
A bigger piece of the bread

The throbbing pain then starts to fade
You reconsider the choice you’ve made
To run from that one tiny kick
Another try you decide to pick

You can see the next bigger piece
A grander and more robust feast
Your little feet start to scramble
Much quicker than a little ramble

To find another crumb I’ve thrown
Bigger than the one you’ve known
With a grateful grin you turn to me
I’ve shown you just how better can be

Thanking me with a little ‘quack’
For showing you a different way back
To where bigger and better lay
A piece of bread for another day



This poem is dedicated someone who has made me see
a better figure when I look in the mirror,
a better conqueror in the endeavors I dream of,
a better person in doing the simple things I love,
a better part in the lives I touch.

Thank you for kicking me to a bigger piece of bread... *quack!*