I used to see them all the time.
I could hardly set foot out the door without encountering one ... dressed as Santa Claus ... as a witch ... a clown ... a cowboy ... as almost anything ... or anybody ... except what they really were: concrete geese.
I can't imagine where they've all gone ... flown south for the winter? Oh, I hope not. The very thought of them aloft scares me a bit.
Perhaps the fad is ebbing. But while it was here, almost everybody ... at least in my neighborhood ... had at least one ... sometimes more.
Understandable then, that I eventually gave in and wrote something about them ... and here it is:
THEY'RE WATCHING
Concrete geese!
Heads held high,
unblinking
dots for eyes,
they guard
the porches, line
the lawns, ever alert
for the gawkers
wandering by.
They never move,
nor honk, nor
even threaten
hostile action,
but in their cold,
concrete hearts
seem to know
the intentions
of those
who dare even
steal a glance.
© 1998
(originally published in Capper's)
***
Today's word: gawkers
Afterthoughts ... in response to your comments:
It's just a wild goose - er, guess, Magran, but I would guess the reason that it's concrete rabbits there ... and concrete geese here ... is that the concrete rabbits have scared the concrete geese away ... and, here, vice versa. Seriously, the ones I've seen have displayed a high level of creativity on the part of the owners, and I always looked forward to seeing them ... the geese, that is ... on my walks.
I know, Southernmush, how unpredictable geese can be. I'm always curious, too, about how suddenly, as if by a signal from one of their group, they lift off and are gone. Then, sometimes, they reappear, gliding gracefully onto the water again. I suppose we ... creatures which merely walk around, because we have no wings ... seem as mysterious to them.
2 comments:
Around here it is concrete rabbits. I even have one but he is out back and has never had the privilege of dressing up although I did consider it once. You see, some people, if they don't have enough to do, will make up something entirely silly.
Hello Mr. Brimm,
I read this entry and I have a little note for you. I have a neighbor at the end of my street who happens to have a little lake on his property. On his property he usually has a flock of geese who walk around by his lake enjoying his home and all. My family and I haven't seen the Geese lately. I suppose they have flown to other parts of the world and I am hoping that they return so I can see them again. Where do you suppose they went ??? Thanks for sharing this entry. The poem will more than likely end up in my handwritten journal / diary so I can remember those geese from my neighbor's property so thanks.
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