Swan Song

As the story goes
swans are mute their entire life
but before they die a song emerges
to say goodbye.

However quixotic the notion may seem
it is a lie, no such thing
they hiss and grunt like any dying being
unattractive, unromantic, and disgusting
nothing poetic about it.

Doesn’t matter what the truth is
the tender tale perpetuates.

“Leaning her breast against the reedy shore
thus sang her first and last and sang no more.” Gibbson

Coledridge perpetuated the myth when he scribed,
"Swans sing before they die t’were no bad thing."

Tennyson continued with,
“The wild swan’s death-hymn took the soul.”

Truth and fiction mix so often
it becomes real
so until the time of my demise
I will write my swan song so I am ready
when I die.