The black swan is common across large areas of southwestern and eastern Australia. As I was watching the quiet progress of one such bird on Yerrabi Pond in Canberra, the words of this poem began to form in my mind.

The poem was subsequently published in Issue 7 of the Sydney-based online journal, Authora Australis. Issue 7 was subtitled The Eco Issue and featured poems about avian, marine and other creatures.

Black Swan

at dawn
you will rise
with the lightness of old

a splendid black swan
gliding over Yerrabi Pond
your body suspended, floating
in that fragile realm
between water, and air
too slight to break
the surface, as perfect
as a riverside nymph

at dusk
you will love
with the lightness of old

a slender head
turning to welcome
a weary cygnet
seeking refuge in a cradle
of sturdy wings
your long, red beak
delicately rearranging
an errant feather

You can read Issue 7 of Authora Australis, The Eco Issue, here.

If you would like to read more about black swans, the article found here traces human interaction with these birds over the centuries, both in myth and reality.