Fox and Duck

A poem by: Ben davis (author's note: read this poem aloud)

Fox and Duck's Fight

In the little town of Riverside where the creek ran so deep and wide,
lived a fox and a duck whose friendship had gone amuck!
I’ll tell you the tale of this fateful day, when Fox and Duck ended their play.
They bickered over something so small and shabby and this is the tale of how the two got crabby.
Fox and Duck’s story starts here, when the morning started out so sunny and cheer.
Fox woke in hole with sunlight on his head, he got up and thanked God for his butter and bread.
“Speaking of food,” he said, his stomach rumbling, “I’d better fins some food for my tummy.
Maybe I’ll catch a fish with some luck,” so he walked to the creek and saw his friend Duck.
“Hello Duck!” he shouted. Duck woke with a squawk. “Heavens, Fox,” he replied, “you nearly sent me into shock!”
As the two talked Duck settled down, then Fox asked, “Good friend, are there any fish around?”
“Sure,” he quacked, “but the easily scare. I’m sure we can catch them if we work in a pair.
You get in the water and scare on over to me,” “Yeah, that will work,” Fox rolled his eyes sarcastically,
“but alright I’ll do as u say…” After a few fatal efforts they got their prey.
“I got it!” Duck exclaimed, swimming over by the reeds. “Hooray,” Fox shouted, “it’s breakfast I needs!”
The two brought their catch out of the creek and opened up their hands for a peek.
They saw a tiny little fish sobbing and flailing his torso, “Ha ha!!” Fox laughed, “we got you tasty morsel!”
“Oh, go ahead and eat me, you win,” the fish cried, “now no one will look after my kin.” Duck and Fox could just stand and stare while their puny catch’s sobbing continued to blare.
“I have to look out for my whole family,” he tried to explain, while his flinching body was aching with pain.
“In our little home behind the kelp, my parents are old need a lot help.
I have to feed the fam, clean up, and help with the kids,” by now Fox and Duck were sorry for what they did.
“So,” the small fish continued, “eat me it’s okay,” The two looked at each other sad, the fish went on, “but I guess mom won’t get her pills today…”
His voice trailed off with his cry and Duck and Fox watched in horror as the little fish died.
“Look what you’ve done?” Fox said to Duck, still looking at the fish. “What?!” Duck started, “Going hunting today was not my wish!”
“It’s your fault,” Duck handed the fish and stomped his foot in his fit. “You made the plan,” Fox retorted. Duck shouted, “Yeah, well you went along with it!”
The two hot-patatoed the fish ‘till Fox had it in the end, “Oh, yeah,” he said, “well, you’re not my friend!”
Duck snorted with a quack, “You were never my friend!” was what he called back.
Their bickering went on for days and it was driving all of Riverside totally insane. So one day I walked out where the fish was lain.
“What happened?” I said as calm as I could, but loud enough that over their shouts I could be understood.
Both saw the fish and began to wail, “Listen up friend,” they said, “and we’ll tell you the tale.”
When their story was at an end, I could see in their eyes that they were once again friends.
To be certain I said, “You boys know what to do,” Duck turned to Fox and said, “I’m sorry,” and Fox returned with a “me too.”
“There,” I said, “Now that we’re over with the worst, before doing anything else, I believe you have a something to do first.”
They knew they had to help the fish’s family so that’s what they did, Fox helped with the clean up and Duck with the kids.
The friends went back everyday to the creek that runs deep and wide, and peace was restored in Riverside.