I love April! The days start out cool and warm up, but a gentle breeze keeps the heat tolerable. On Sunday, we canoed with friends to the park where there was a symphony concert. The paddling to get there was made harder by the breeze, but we were able to make it just in time for the concert.
On the way, we spotted this Muscovy duck and her babies. The Muscovy is a domestic duck with a warty red bill. Her littles were adorable scrambling around her so quickly that I couldn’t count them.
My quick internet research said, “Aztec rulers wore cloaks made from the feathers of the Muscovy duck, which was considered the totem animal of the Wind God, Ehecatl.” (All about Birds)
At Ethical ELA, Erica Johnson is leading us in writing a “Playful Cascade” which is a poem form that takes each line of the first stanza making them the last line of the next stanzas. I decided to use tercets, 3 lines per stanza.
Muscovy Ducklings Play
Scrambling fluffs navigate water hyacinth
staying in sight of mother duck—
gymnasts in a bayou playground.
We slowly push along stroke by stroke
keeping watch for new spring life, see
scrambling fluffs navigate water hyacinth.
Whose waters are these, I think I know:
these tiny ducklings move so quick
staying in sight of mother duck.
This journey we share is not all ease.
Time and patience required, we are all
gymnasts in a bayou playground.
Margaret Simon, draft
Please join me in writing about this little miracle of life. Be sure to leave encouraging words for other writers.
Reflections on the Teche 
Your picture and poem remind me of a scene on the lake I visit often (my brother lives there). Here’s the poem,
Summer School
Mother Duck splashes off from shore
Ducklings follow
She squawks and scolds, sending them off on their own
They scatter, paddling around
Mother Duckling swims ahead
Seven ducklings fall in line
Two independent duckies remain apart at first
But soon all were in place
Swimming along behind Mother Duck
She leads them a short distance across the lake
Then turns toward the edge
Ducklings follow her back onto the shore
They rest in the grass
An unseen signal beckons
Mother Duck waddles back to the water
And the lessons resume
Diane, This poem reads like a little duckling story. Thanks for writing with me today.
Margaret, since I am intrigued by this cascade poem. I never heard of it before I read Diane’s poem this morning so I think I would like to try the format. I always enjoy reading about your canoeing in the bayou.
“gymnasts in a bayou playground” – both ducklings and humans-delightful poem
I’m so glad you tried the form. It was challenging for me.
Thank you, Margaret.
Diane, your title is a good one for this lesson. These words stand out in your poem: splashes, squawks, scolds. Mother Duck is in charge and you used alliteration to engage the reader. The ducklings get to rest like my little grandgirl Lila does in her Pre-K but Mother Duck calls them back for their lesson. This does make a good story.
A few weeks ago, my grandgirls and I saw the ducklings…
—–
Spring Day Fun
baby ducklings splish and splash
in the pond at the end of the street
grandgirls frolic while watching ducklings play
—–
But Mother Duck hides in the shadows of day
observing her little ones
baby ducklings splish and splash
—–
timing brings the group together
rows of duckling follow the leader
in the pond at the end of the street
—–
sunshine brightens the day
time to say goodbye-no one wants to leave
grandgirls frolic while watching ducklings play
CVarsalona 2026 draft
Carol, what a fun memory of a pond with your grandgirls. Thanks for writing!
Thank you again for inspiring me to try a new format, Margaret. I already started revising/refining the cascade poem.
luv this frolic, especially homage to Sir Frost!
fascinating about the Aztec connections…
fun floats to you & all your chicks, Margaret!