Swan Lake by June Webber, sweet white wine

Sidney Swan extends his wings and stretches out his neck in a show of masculine pride, aware that he boasts the widest wing-span and longest neck of all the swans at Abbotsbury, a lagoon in Dorset.  He had heard that once Pavlova had come here to study the graceful movements of the swans in preparation for Swan Lake.  His life-long partner, Sam, gazes in affection and admiration, gently touching his beak and stroking his neck.  Together they waddle towards the lagoon and plunge into the still, blue water, gliding side by side in perfect harmony, only pausing to feed each other tasty morsels of weed.

‘It’s busy today,’ remarks Sidney. ‘There are more arriving every day.’

‘Yes, there’s hardly room to swim,’ answers Sam.

            Every Spring the loving pair build a nest of reeds and twigs at the edge of the lagoon, and wait for eggs to fill it, and wait patiently, but no eggs appear. All around them, they see proud parents sitting on eggs, but their own nest remains empty. All around them is the sound of cracking eggs, as fluffy grey cygnets struggle out into the light, and parents lead them down to the water.

“Never mind my dear, perhaps next year,” Sidney comforts his beloved.

‘Yes, we have each other, and we don’t have to be constantly watching little ones.’

They swim sublimely across the lake, stopping from time to time to touch beaks, forming a perfect heart shape with their graceful necks.  Lifelong devoted partners Sidney and Sam. - the only gay swans at Abbotsbury!

 

About the author 

 June Webber is a great grandmother living in Dorset. She is a member of a local creative writing group and Zoom writing and poetry groups. She has had poems published, and two stories in The Best of CafeLit 11. 

 

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