The Visitor

It feels a bit like a dream now, surreal even, the water seems so lonely now she's gone.
Although she was ours for only six days altogether we began to think of her as family.
Salina we called her, it was the name of my grandmother who I'd never known,
I thought it had a graceful air about it and seemed fitting.

Five mornings in a row I made my way to the water's edge crust in hand,
Salina on first sight of me glided across for breakfast as though we'd always done this.
I was ecstatic, our very own swan sailing serenely on the water, an idyllic country cottage scene.

The lad from across the way raised some concern in our minds pointing out that our pond may not be large enough for her to take flight should she need to.  At this point I began to realise I was starting to worry for her welfare just like you do for family!  Was there enough natural food in the pond and round about for her nourishment, was she stranded on the pond, lonely?

Yesterday morning my love announced that Salina was making her way up the hill of the field behind the house, he thought she may have been attracted to the newly sprouted crop shoots, but after pausing he went on to report she was making her way to the top of the hill and she was now poised ready for take-off.  He went on to recount her running down the hill wings spread wide and flapping, touching the ground once and again and then she was off, she gained height above the pond soon disappearing from view.

I was feeling sad and relieved all at the same time, sad at the thought of losing this beautiful creature and also relieved that I didn't have to worry for her.  In actual fact I never did have to worry for her, she could look after herself perfectly and what's more she never really was ours, she was always wild and free, just visiting!