Is It Better To Be A Duck?

On summer days I stroll through the park

And ponder the ducks on the lake

I ask, “Is a duck’s life better?” 

It seems such a sweet piece of cake

Ducks float on the pond so peacefully

Dip down now and then for a bite 

They watch their darling baby ducklings 

You never see a Mom get uptight 

Ducks do many things human’s can’t

Number one, the ability to fly

They take off with ease from the water

In seconds are high in the sky

Perhaps they are not the best walkers

But no one is better at swimming 

Their feet form remarkable paddles

Made perfect for diving and skimming

Ducks also are sociable creatures

They spend the whole day in their flocks

They form perfect V-formations

Their leader is watchful for hawks

I also think ducks are so clever

Migration to Mexico is easy

I get confused on my way downtown

A Mexican route leaves me queasy

And ducks talk less than we humans

They mostly say “quack quack quack quack”

They have sad quacks and happy quacks and surprised quacks too

And hungry quacks when seeking a snack

Ducks eat more healthy than people

They do nuts and berries and seeds

I once saw a duck eat a baby frog 

Those  vegan ducks like to eat weeds

The adults have titillating sex lives

They’re monogamous but for only one year

It’s sort of like Hollywood marriages

“So long, Sweet, you’ve been such a dear”

Ducks have their babies each year in the spring

You see them go by with their mother

The ducklings swim in a perfect row

Keeping track of each sister and brother

Like people, ducks do have some enemies

The worst is the crocodile 

A duck has to keep a watchful eye

If she hopes to preserve her lifestyle

There’s one horrid truth that I’m loathe to bring up

It’s that humans enjoy eating ducks

This fact raises deep moral issues

To eat or be eaten is the crux

So here is the ultimate question

Is it true that it’s better to be a duck? 

A duck’s life, while good, isn’t perfect

To survive, for most ducks, takes some pluck