DUCKS

I learned the following two poems when I was very small and whenever I see ducks am reminded of them

 Four ducks on a pond,

A grass bank beyond,

A blue sky of spring,

white clouds on the wing;

What a little thing

To remember for years -

To remember with tears! 

(I can count more than four ducks on this pond!)

Verses below are from The Duck's Ditty from Wind in the Willows

All along the backwater, Through the rushes tall,

Ducks are a-dabbling, Up tails all!

Ducks' tails, drakes' tails, Yellow feet a-quiver,

Yellow bills all out of sight, Busy in the river!

Slushy green undergrowth, where the roach swim -

Here we keep our larder, Cool and full and dim.

Everyone for what he likes! We like to be

Heads down, tails up, Dabbling free!

High in the blue above, Swifts whirl and call -

We are down a-dabbling, Up tails all!

(I think there was too much food for these ducks to be up tails all, although I think I spy one a dabbling).