Our Little Secrets

Cherry

By ralph

Fri, 18 Sep 2026
  • 89 reads
1 comments
 

Our Little Secrets 

 

I’ve given this swan a secret name,

as people like me have to.

 

I'm more open with my houseplants.

Amongst others I have:

 

Stanley Kubrick,

Penelope Keith,

 

Brian Clough

and Gertrude Lawrence.

 

We talk about the world 

and listen to Radio 3.

 

Sometimes when I shout

they never answer back.

 

Just diminish a little —

lose their green and yellows.

 

But let’s return to my swan,

who I visit often enough.

 

How she glides to me when

breaking the algae still canal.

 

Informing me of what love is,

whispering to me it’s opposite.

 

Twisting her neck inside and out.

Praying not to be revealed.

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

So much class in this poem. Swans are very romantic..I think, although somebody recently told me they saw one trying to drown a greyhound. Brian Clough, I miss that sort of character.