Swan Song

He was only ten
and sometimes unsure
teasing seemed to aim its arrow at him
and he fell into thinking
something was wrong with him
with his skinny arms
with his freckles
something

At a park one day
he was scattering the birds
throwing pieces of bread
into the lake where two swans
were engaged in a love dance
their necks and heads bobbing

His mother explained it
when he was nine and full of questions
neat is what he thought
into the warm spring day

Two boys with bats
snickering behind their hands
throwing rocks
skipped the water
and caught one swan on the side

Anger grew inside him
as he headed towards the two
now collapsed in gales of laughter

They looked up in surprise
at trembling blotched cheeks
and clenched fists
for the words that he hit them with
were power he learned that day
as he left the boys
sitting with their mouths open

He took off his jacket
flung it over his shoulder
and holding it with one finger
he whistled as he walked away
knowing there was something right
something right about him
something