Duck Duck Goose

By: Gaylord Pondelroy

Canard is how the French say duck

In World War II 

When bullets flew

Canard it was, good sir, tout suite 

Or today’s the day you’re out of luck 

By: Mariellen Stastny

Warm smooth water pocked with bubbles

Washes away terrestrial troubles

My body lies here lithe and sinuous

My thoughts like steam, vague and tenuous

Ducking below I become oblivious 

Things down here are not ambiguous 

Just white and clear and peacefully contiguous 

Above me an oval shape is floating

Pointed on one end but not foreboding 

Because it’s such a friendly yellow

I say good day to this friendly fellow

For like the rubber duck to whom I speak

(Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak)

My liquid mind has grown amphibious 

By: Jim Kudrik

Above snowy slope they silently stood

Quaking and shaking though not from their fear

But dampness and cold and feeling so good 

For nowhere, no nothing, could top this right here

Above yonder trees erupted a sound

A honking goose choir arranged in a V

Pointing south, down to whence they were bound

As “out of my way” said E with a heave 

His brother still winded from the great climb

Stood by and focused his eye on the sky

A few straggling geese straggled behind

Turning tight V into disheveled Y

Just like me, he thought, as E barreled down

Not first in line, not at home nor in class 

But life’s on my terms, not th’other way ‘round

And when I go last, that’s when I go fast

And savagely dashing over the crest

He whooped the great whoop of all future glory

Snow dusting his face, bumps bounding his chest

And though E went first, he’ll end this story

Charging fast down the hill and then faster still

The body of E now growing in size

Then closer he drew by sheer force of Will

And landed on him, right there ‘twixt his eyes

Vengeful W, exultant but jarred

E now face down, the snow stifling his cry

After running aground so painful and hard

Reared up like a bull and shouted “Will… Y!!!???”