black swan event
see on a lonely stretch of water
a wind choreographed dance
of black swans
noble stance
elegant moves
they dabble in brackish shallows
close in amongst the reeds
was it a shifty wind
that blew them in
was it the algae and duckweed
that`lured them
rare on this side of the lake
they dip their red beaks
then their long curved necks
like question marks
lift and stretch
sometimes not so elegantly
they up-end
bottoms in the air
black tutus flounced
some lift off fleetingly
with a wonk wonk wonk
running on water across the lake
their wide white-tipped black wings
bellow-beat the water
and with a whistling sound
like ballerinas glide back
how I’d like to get closer
even for a moment
let them know I am their friend
they are aware of me
and with each of my forward steps
they languidly glide further out
Colleen Keating
