the water seems murkier now

by ethan hohn

 
when i swam to help,
they had gone
too far away.
those swans didn’t know
what they had
when they had it.
they confined themselves
to a gesture:
head curled,
bill pink
to a dark tip,
hidden.
 
 
beauty escaped.
they retreated
in unison.
i remember those wings
uplifted.
stilted feathers tipped
with a very dull
preciseness.
one raised his hat
when he left.
cordially,
i raised mine.