Wordbirds, 23

This new series—“Wordbirds”—arises from a journey I am taking through my Webster’s 3rd Dictionary. What I’m doing: I look on the first page for each letter, and the first word that flies up at me (because I don’t know it, because I just think it’s interesting, etc.) becomes the subject for that day’s doggerel. I will move through letter z, then work my way back again, the second time using the last page of each letter’s section of Webster's. Let’s see what happens ...

Words that flew into my life from Webster’s 3^rd …

wabby noun

red-throated loon (also whabby)

We heard the wabby by the lake—

Oh, it was real (no dumb mistake).

We listened to that unique sound—

So odd it kept us both awake.

Next morning on the dewy ground

We found some feathers lying ’round.

Could they have come from wabby friend?

We didn't hear his usual sound.

This is not how a tale should end,

Nor what a poet should intend.

But there’s no way I can pretend:

The wabby died … does this offend?