Alive

Dozens of

hours

I have sat

watching

eggs

listening

for inner

peeps

watching

almost

ducklings

try to peck

their way out,

times

ducklings

have failed

& died,

times

I have tried

to help

crack

the shells

& merely

killed them,

the time Ben

tossed

an egg

for not
peeping

off the deck

& saw

below

the almost

duckling

on the grass

outside.