Joe Biden was declared the winner–
across the river, they danced in the streets
and horns honked. Here, it was quiet,
geese sailed serenely; their own squabbles settled
with brief in-your-face trumpeting and posturing—perhaps
not so different, as they fall into formation–and yet,
I watch them take turns leading, caring for each other,
soaring in a victory V, circling. Then
as dawn laughs, and the water blushes,
the horizon, foreshortened, expands,
Philadelphia emerges from the fog, the sky
much bluer than it was.
I missed Peter’s dVerse prompt on Tuesday to write poetry bearing witness to our local neighborhood, so I’m linking to the dVerse Open Link Night, where Linda is hosting.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
This poem is a great long sigh of relief. We had masses of cranes on election night, you had geese when Philadelphia put the lid on it 🙂
Hahaha. Yes!
🙂
Oh I do love the metaphorical use of geese here! And the streets filled with a joyful flock as Pennsylvania was declared. The cacophony of noise — geese swarming — people releasing …excellent post!
Thank you so much, Lillian!
This is wonderful Merril. Thank God the goodness of people prevailed.
Thank, Linda. Yes, I am, too!
That was exactly my feeling as well. Sometimes right reason and good really do prevail. They certainly were a long time coming.
*good sense
Maybe good and good sense. 😀
😀
Thank you, Liz. Yes, it’s been a very long four years, and it may be a very long couple of months, but at least there is some hope.
You’re welcome, Merril.
Yes, they were.
“V” for Victory, stunning metaphor. Thank God we all lived to see the end of Trump’s reign of terror.
Yes, indeed! Thank you very much, Glenn.
That day will make its own history in the amount of people who sighed a breath of relief at the same moment!
Thank you. That is so true! A great weight lifted off our collective minds.
Well, not yet lifted completely until he has finished making the nation suffer through his departure, fearing what his retaliation may be. He will not fade away quietly, no matter how much we wish for it. He will ride the wave of the 80 million or so who voted for him, rallying them to create mayhem, and they carry the guns to do it unfortunately.
Yes, he will do his best to destroy the country, and his cult cannot see reality–but still, despite all the attempts to suppress voting, Biden won. And that gives me a sense of hope.
We have NOT seen the end of Donald and, no doubt, WILL NOT see it for some time to come. And the shambles he’s leaving behind will be difficult to rebuild, not to mention the social rift(s) he has created and/or exacerbated.
Very effective work, Merril.
Thank you, Ron. Yes, he has definitely stoked and exacerbated long-standing rifts in the country, and he is doing his best to line his pockets before he’s ousted.
There’s a lot we can learn from birds. This is like a sigh. I hope there will be a real resolution soon. I’m still tense as can be. (K)
Thank you. I hope so, too. I’m trying to stay optimistic.
Its not easy.
delightful observations Merril
Thank you very much!
It certainly is a relief! I just hope everything goes smoothly next year in January 💝 especially love; “and the water blushes, the horizon, foreshortened, expands,
Philadelphia emerges from the fog.” 🙂
Thank you so much, Sanaa! I hope all goes smoothly as well–especially now with Covid cases spiking.
Well done … and love the second pic
Thank you very much, Frank!
I left Delaware just in time 😉
And this is a wonderful and joyous post.
Thank you so much, Dale!😀
Pleasure is mine!
😀
I love this metaphors… so much to learn from nature…. taking turns leading… V for victory… caring for each other…. and the water blushing
Thank you very much, Dwight!
“soaring in a victory V” — Yes.
😀😀
Wonderful poem. We are not so very different than those geese sometimes,
geese sailed serenely; their own squabbles settled
with brief in-your-face trumpeting and posturing—perhaps
not so different, as they fall into formation.
May we move forward together like the geese.
Wonderful poem and pics
Thank you very much!
Always welcome!
So clever Merril – a wonderful conceit.
Thank you very much, Peter.
I love the contrast right at the beginning and the goose metaphor is stunning, Merril., especially the victory V. I also love the personification of the dawn and the water – a joyous new day!
Thank you very much, Kim! It is!
Love your words. The water blushing is just so ace!
Anna :o]
Thank you so much, Anna!
Splendidly apt imagery throughout
Thank you very much, Derrick.
joyful wording documenting a momentous occasion!
lovely shots
Thank you very much!
That blushing water seems to follow you, Merril. 🙂
Haha–thanks, Jill! 😀
That looks like a truly blue sky, full of optimism: you have captured that Sunday-morning feeling perfectly. I even felt it from the other side of the Atlantic!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you and others are feeling this optimism from across the ocean.
I LOVE your first name and of course this wonderful bit of poetry.
That made me smile. Thank you–though I’m not responsible for my first name. 😀
Philadelphia emerges from the fog, the sky
much bluer than it was.
What a relief! Finally, the light of day emerges and all are happy with the outcome. There cannot be another term to gamble with lies not consistent with good governance
Hank
Yes, exactly! Thank you!
The ending is so beautiful in description and thought “as dawn laughs, and the water blushes” I enjoyed the geese caring for each other in a victory V as well. The whole poem makes me smile with hope.
Aww–thank you so much! I’m so pleased I made you smile and feel hopeful.
Beautiful, Merril. And we all breathe a collective sigh of relief…
Thank you so much, Kathy. Yes, I felt such relief last Saturday, and even with all the craziness still going on, it’s more like background noise.
This is a perfect topical poem. Perfect. I could see it in a 21st-century poetry anthology.
WOW! Thank you so much, Liz. I am honored that you think so.
You’re welcome, Merril.
I agree with Liz, it belongs in an anthology and wouldn’t have any trouble being published.
Thank you SO much! Both you and Liz. Wow–I’m a bit speechless. 😀
You’re welcome, but it can’t be the first time you’ve been told this! You write with such subtle depth, your poetry is always a treat.
Thank you again. I appreciate your kind words very much. 💙
This is such an interesting, nay thought proving piece, Merril.
Horns honking, geese trumpeting….
Did you use the word “trump eting” on purpose… the way I saw it, or?
After watching the reports on the election, I feel this poem is double entendre.
I’m happy Joe won!
Thank you! I wrote trumpeting first, and then saw it as “trump eting,” and decided it was perfect. Yes, the poem is definitely a poem of more than one level. 😀
👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍
😀❤️
Quiet and very cool place
Thank you very much.