The Duck

I am waiting for the train.
Three more minutes says the arrival board.
It says two now.
I must have looked at it at the end of the first minute.
Or the board and I don't have the same perception of time.
I look outside.
The gray canal and gray boats.
An empathetic gray sky.
Gray humans.

On the water, three black ducks.
My seconds are numbered.
I focus my thoughts on a duck,
The one on the right.

The duck is alive.
No one seems to care.
It is alive!
Its body moves and breathes in and out.
It has a beating heart like mine.
A liver and lungs.
And feathers it carefully waterproofs with oil,
Webbed feet that propel it in water.
It does not reason.
It knows.

Whose personal mythology
Does such a perfect creature come from?

The duck does not need me.
I need it.
The duck does not even notice me.
It lives in a perpetual present time
Without having to look at its reflection
In another being
And ponder life and nature
To reach that state.
It's already there.

I'm in awe before the duck's effortless existence.
It is grand.
Its divine essence is palpable.
It already possesses the abilities I seek,
And teaches me.

We are as blind as angry children.
We need simpler and windier lives.

Reviews

[NyanMeow]

This read like prose, which is always nice. I hate when poems feel choppy, which is something I struggle with becase I often like to include astrong meter. Good job focusing on a simple animal and showing us it's significance.

[Jack...]

Wow, to be a duck, what a dream. To float effortlessly on the wtares, showing bright colors, fly off to where ever it is that I would rather be. Nice work here.

[sithlordjp]

J'adore! Une structure solide et une utilisation de vocabulaire très recherché! merci de partager avec nous!

[Chris]

Someone that understands ...sitting at a cafe` table, living the gestalt.

[Elvis Gilley]

Loved it. Your words are great and the imagery made this piece. Rhythm was peaceful as well.

[Louise-Charlotte]

Thank you very much!

[Dr. Wood ?]

wonderfully written piece..and considering your nationality it is even better..I love the lines that tell us that the duck does not need US....REMARKABLE

[Louise-Charlotte]

This means a lot thank you. Nature never fails to amaze me an teach me how to be a better human. A more present one at least.

[Dr. Wood ?]

We should all be taking a bow to nature....In this wonderful world it is US who are the enemies

[Michael Kevin Spencer]

What a curious perception you have, I like odd things like that duck as well.

The ability not to think makes things more divine, funny that, the more our brain expands the more devious we become.

I like the concept of this and how perception led to philosophy.

[Louise-Charlotte]

Yes, the most simple things in apparence trigger philosophical thoughts in me. It's like meditation, you slowly let your mind be quiet and center on a different perception. Grateful observation definitely helps defining our place in the world and it reveals the majesty of what surrounds us I believe.

[Michael Kevin Spencer]

Well I like your variety of mysticism (it's very neurological).