Here I pay tribute to a muse of mine and the other half of a pair. For the last month, In the yard of my home there were a pair of mallard ducks who seemed to be bound to one another. Every day I would find them sitting like little loaves under either my tree or the tree of my neighbors, always inches from eachother. A few times I've seen them feeding in ditches, usually one watched out for the other. It made me happy to see them every day. I would look for them when I left my house and would search for them when I came home. The pure love of two birds. I called them the "little buddies".

This morning I opened my door to find a lifeless mallard lying in the road right in front of my driveway. He was hit by a car at some point between the night and the dawn. He had a head wound, death must have occured instantly. He, thankfully, may have not suffered. I weeped for him. I weeped as if he were my own dog. His friend would be alone... nobody to rest with under the tree in the summer afternoon... nobody to wander with... I had to pull myself together to continue through my day. When I came home, the body was thankfully gone. I hoped that he wasn't part of the duo, that it was a different duck... even then I would have written this eulogy. I hoped to see them under my tree. There were not there.

I searched my street for them, no luck. His friend must have left the area, greif-striken and afraid to stay where his other half was killed. My mother suggested that he saw it and brought the image of a poor little duck waddling to his fallen friend and looking down at him. It hurt me. I hope that in the morning I will find them sitting together right under my tree in innocent bliss. They were one of my simple little joys. I hope he may find peace... goodnight sweet friend.