Dinner Guests

Dinner Guests
JD Miller

There are two pairs of ducks 

On the pond tonight 

Instead of the usual one

And I’d like to think 

They are on a double date 

And I would like also to think 

That it is going pretty well

And at no point have they

Run out of things to talk about 

Or has the conversation hit a snag 

(Even though one of the hens 

Has a sort of nasally quack

And one of the drakes could’ve put 

A bit more effort into preening)

And I hope that there will be 

No appearances made by the muskrat 

I Saw Last Week, and Who I’ve heard

Does not believe in love

(Or I like to think doesn’t) 

Because of some past love-related

Injury he endured at the ineligible 

Hand of a vivacious beaver.

I have no evidence to substantiate 

This bitterness of his, except 

For his being profoundly anti-social

Just as I would be, I imagine 

If someone approached me right now 

While I am so preoccupied 

With the unfolding drama, of which 

These four poor lovebirds 

Are entirely unaware.