Spring, St. Stephens Green

Alexander Koester

Spring, St. Stephens Green

Whitewinged circus

of kittiewaking

parabolas of bodies

swooping roundabout.

Strong drakewings

cleaned with preening

are crashing down

upon the lucid coolpond

with steely stiff fleatherflashes.

Plashed is the pondface

quivered with buff quill

with lively leg and bill

with webfeet tangerine -

a tammany grace.

Headbobbling drakesheen

from greenshot velveteen

and a wineplush breastlapping

and prestdown ducktapping

from flat bills nippling.

Swift crystal beads

oily globular

spring from bright backs:

and a male claptrapping

into mating tactics

murmuringly merges.

Quaggling!

And mallard dabbling

are coy: paddling

fussy and featherflustered.

Pleasantplash!

Leslie Daiken

“Plashed is the pondface.” Wonderful. “Headbobbling drakesheen.” !! Even more wonderful. I love this poem’s movement and sound. Words bump against each other, bird bodies collide with water, and yes, it’s a “pleasantplash” all the way round.