Elegant Swan The swan
has elegance
always captured in a dance
it will rest wings at its side
flight will reside
fallen flat upon the water
and it swims
seemingly slowly forth
not blowing by your eye
as would a harsh gust of wind from the north
it just floats atop the glassy marsh
stirring scarcely a ripple
and barely burning any energy
it paddles slightly onward with an efficient, imperceptible speed
and the reeds sing in the wind and the trees’ leaves rustle in the breeze
and the swan swims with effortless, motionless polish
Beauty’s presence
in Nature’s elegance.

But what say you, as its audience
while applauding its handsome dance
take a step approaching the swan
…
Disruption! Destruction! Confusion!
the swan’s seduction ceases
it releases
vicious hisses
in place of the supple kisses
that you clapped for.
It flaps its wings and stands tall like a pedestal
its feet are now visible
and it is now not so beautiful as it is risible
An ugly hissing white duck
arrogant in the marshy muck
an ill-tempered spoiled prima donna
its anger uncoiled, and if it spoke words
this flustered bird,
this dethroned obtrusive ostrich
would be squawking:
“How dare you step into my water,
how dare you invade my stage!
Hear my Rage! Witness my Fury!
for you enter my territory without possessing my beauty,
you sully the scene, you tarnish my pure varnish,”
it would scream.

But as it can not speak, it will only hiss
the previous beauty is missed
the bipolarity of elegance is witnessed
so is elegance really so great a thing?
a swan’s perfect looks can be deceiving.
so Why a swan?
a good-natured bird who sings instead of hisses
would be a more pleasant selection
Why not a parrot,
whose array displays a gorgeous variety
diverse unlike the preferred white of bourgeoisie society
a parrot has a more colorful personality.
Why not a crow?
Black contrasts the swan’s white
though not demure, it is equally pure
its bottomless darkness
so dense and intense
triumphs over the delicate, ethereal etiquette of the swan.