The Mute Swan was a moral bird -
her children seen but never heard,
and hubby never hissed a word,
what though his lot was quite absurd.
Here is how it all occurred:
Knowing he'd never make the grade,
she spurned the cob. But eggs were laid
beside the river through the glade.
The shells were speckled - brown, and jade.
The hatchlings? Sable. Marmalade.
They spoke but once. When Mum was bored,
she cygnalled that her brood was flawed,
with sidelong sniffs that spelt 'abhorred'.
At which one cackled, and one cawed.
Morality's a two-edged sword.