The pond wasn't clean. But still, I didn't expect to see a body floating in it.
I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about ducks. I don't hang out around ponds and almost all of my friends are humans. I don't know what ducks eat or how they have babies. I don't know what they dream about or what they want to be when they grow up. I don't know what they're afraid of or how easy it is for them to fall in love.
But I know that duck was dead.
And I must've been the only one who noticed. Because everyone else had moved on. They were clearing their throats. They were having conversations about the weather. There was a young couple, strolling and laughing, as if they hadn't yet figured out that one day they were probably gonna break up. And a boy- he skipped rocks across the water like it wasn't going to be him some day. Maybe he was too young to understand or maybe the rocks were just his way of forgetting for a while.
Because we're all dead ducks. Even if we can't fly and even if we don't swim. We eat white bread that strangers give us and we jaywalk in the middle of the day.
We're like Daffy in that one episode with Bugs Bunny. (You know, the one where they're dancing.) Everyone's clapping for Bugs, because nobody roots for the underdog anymore. It's like every season is duck season. Rabbit season? Duck season. Then Daffy gets his beak shot off, but he keeps on dancing. Trying to get everyone's attention, but they're too busy skipping rocks or talking about the weather or falling in love.
This poem is not about ducks. And it's not about rabbits. It's about you and me and the water that surrounds us all. It's about our legs going a hundred miles an hour underneath. It's about all the reflections in all the ponds and why I couldn't help but see myself when I looked down at that duck.
Look at me trying to dry out my wet guts.
Look at you: you're all dead, you just haven't drowned yet.
And some day, just past the spot where your body floats, a young couple will walk by laughing - whispering nothing into each other's ears. And a boy will skip his rock across the water, as if he's gonna live forever.
I have never thought of myself as a duck, but after reading this I know you are right Nelson. I'm nothing but a dead duck who once was skipping rocks to take my mind of reality. But here I lay in the water... dead... I wish I could have lasted, I really do. But when I looked back I was doomed from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteYou always manage to make such simple things as a dead duck in a pond such a powerful lesson.
ReplyDeleteNice.
"Look at you: you're all dead you just haven't drowned yet."
ReplyDeleteI feel like that too. I feel like i'm dead but i'm technically "living".
"I don't hang out around ponds and almost all my friends are humans"
haha classic ^
"It's about our legs going a hundred miles an hour underneath. "
ReplyDeleteAh. LOVE that line. Love the whole post.
You read this somewhere once and I loved it.
ReplyDelete"It's about our legs going a hundred miles an hour underneath."
The boy I'm in love with thinks the boy skipping rocks was him. He saw you at that pond once while he was skipping rocks.
I've also seen a dead duck at that pond, Afrelle. Except it was on the asphalt and it was all like pried open and everywhere. Who ever knew ducks had these sharp little teeth? They do. It's sick.
I keep reading this over and over and I love it even more then the time before! (haha that rhymed)
ReplyDeleteAnd every time I see that big duck at the end I think of what was said in class
"release the quckin!"
haha
"It's about all the reflections in all the ponds and why I couldn't help but see myself when I looked down at that duck."
ReplyDeleteLove reading this...over and over.
And I loved the way you read it in class...so good.
And Jacque^ hahaha that was hilarious!! "release the quackin!" bahaha good times!
"Maybe he was too young to understand or maybe the rocks were just his way of forgetting for a while."
ReplyDeletethat giant duck was just added to my christmas list.
ReplyDelete"because nobody roots for the underdog anymore"
ReplyDeleteuh (thats your grunt of approval)
mind freakin blown. *insert blown brain brian bits*
ReplyDelete