Today was the day, fresh out of the nest.
The babies would put their skills to the test.
Mama led first, assuming they'd follow
Her to the lake, near them in the hollow.
She leapt out of the nest, and turned to her brood,
"We learn swimming today!" as they finished
their food.
They looked at Mom, questions in their eyes,
Though this should not have come as a surprise.
"Do we have to swim?" "The nest feels so snug!"
"Up close to each other it's easy to hug!"
"Why go to lake, so cold and so wet?
"To be damp and chilly until the sun sets?"
Mama Duck rolled her eyes, and then she had said,
"Swimming's what we do, it's why Duck
feet are webbed!
Our feathers protect us from chilly waters.
So come now, all of my sons and my daughters."
Reluctant, the Chicks filed out of the nest
With less excitement than Mom would
have guessed.
They left, walking with her, with sad reactions,
But then, became scattered, overwhelmed
by distractions!
One by one all the Ducklings went their own way.
Each to their own places they started to stray.
Mama had five, and without a tether
Was finding it hard to keep them together.
Chick number one went towards something shiny,
A penny in grass, gleaming and tiny.
Mama waddled after as fast as she could,
Scolding, "Stay with the group! Is that understood?"
No sooner she returned when Chick number two
Walked to Squirrel, quacking, "How do you do?"
Mama ran over and with a movement of wing,
Back to the group, Chick two, she did bring.
Out of the corner of eyes, she saw number three
Wandering over to a big tree.
"It's so big!" the little one wondered.
"Get back with your siblings!" Mama
then thundered.
Exhausted when four away he did run
As if hearing a race's loud starting gun.
It seemed he was off to nowhere special.
The trip to the lake was not being successful.
After bringing him back, it was number five's turn
To spark poor Mama's maternal concern.
He went off to go return to their nest
To do what he wanted, and relax and rest.
"Come back here, young Duckling!" Mama did chide.
And grumbling, her baby moped back to her side.
Tired, she brought them to lake's edge of grass
To finally begin their first swimming class.
Complaining and saying they did not want to swim,
It took long for Mama to get them to wade in.
But of course, within minutes, they splashed and they played.
They loved the lake! Mama need not persuade.
Like Ducks take to water, the Chicks
learned real fast.
They were amazing at swimming and were
having a blast!
When it grew late and it was time to go back,
"Aw, can't we stay longer?" all five of them quacked.
"We'll come back tomorrow, but it's now time
to leave,"
Mama replied, as the day turned to eve.
She was very happy, but wanted to know-
Why was it so hard to get her Ducks in a row?
