THE LIBRARY

DUCK RABBIT

By Kenton K. Yee

The duck is eyeing the pond, waddling slow,
her head held high. And upside down (that's right!) 
the rabbit shadows the duck--that's his role. 

The duck desires attention, perhaps a roll.
She likes the kids but fears the buzzards in flight.
The duck is eyeing the pond, waddling slow. 

The rabbit fears sturgeons more than buzzards though.
With no choice but to follow, he quivers in fright 
as he shadows the duck--that's his role. 

In the pond are algae, bread and roe. 
For fun, the duck quacks the kids a sound bite.
She is nearing the pond, waddling slow. 

The children make the rabbit uncomfortable.
He feels used because he's cute-that's his plight— 
as he paddles under the duck-that's his role. 

So up or down, duck or rabbit? Which is preferable?
One's not always right-that is zero's insight. 
The duck is on the water paddling slow. 
The rabbit paddles her belly-that's his role. 

Based on the famous "Duck Rabbit" optical illusion. 

Kenton K. Yee has recently published poetry in Plume Poetry, Threepenny Review, Rattle, TAB Journal, Constellations, Sugar House Review, Mantis, Berkeley Poetry Review, Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Analog Science Fiction & Fact, and LIGEIA Magazine, among others. He is an alumnus of CalArts and the Iowa Summer Poetry Workshop, and holds a PhD in physics from UCLA and a law degree from Stanford. Yee writes from Northern California.