3.14d Swan Song

He'd traded, with Cesar, for Saturday's shift.
Now, Jess had a moment to lazily drift
Before heading off on the old 84
To drive into Hartford, to Rory's folks' door.

The weather was nice so, contently, he strolled.
The path by the lake had a nice little hold
So pulled him towards it—to just take a look.
Then lakeside's serenity sank in its hook.

Jess sat on the bank, along water's edge,
With reeds at his back, and also a hedge,
To, in sunny spot, his body now rest,
Completely unknowing of birds' nearby nest.

And Jess had a book to pull from his pocket.
So, happy, did he, at the dog-ear, unlock it.
His fingers propped open the eager book and
The afternoon started out better than planned.

But ere long would Jess find distraction so daunting.
A bird uttered threats through loud peevish honking
And Jess, likewise peevish, did take a quick look.
The bird he regarded, then went back to book.

The honking continued, an incessant chatter,
'Til Jess wondered what could be the bird's matter,
As bird bobbed its head all over the place!
And then it came closer and got in his face!

"Get back you foul beast! Back off you damn swan!
Go give your attention to James Audubon!
That freak would, from you, appreciate it
But I surely don't, so go away! Git!"

Jess tried to return to read omnibus
But swan did remain to act ominous.
Intensely, at Jess, did evil bird yack
'Til Jess thought that maybe the bird would attack.

The swan was quite big but Jess was sure bigger
And surely the swan wouldn't dare pull the trigger!
He waved off the bird and then turned a page.
The dire circumstances did Jess fail to gauge.

Now, through feeble air, did glossy beak plow
Towards Jess's eye. Said Jess, "F***ing ow!"
The bird had, on eye, a sound havoc wreaked!
Had Jess's poor eye been evilly beaked!

Jess pressed, then, his hand upon wounded flesh
While evil swan honked. With wings, it did thresh.
Jess scrambled to feet and jumped back from bird.
There, stumbled he did, with sight somewhat blurred.

His book had flipped over and pages were bent
A moment's confusion then Jess sorely spent
In plotting his book's return and reception,
Without the assistance of his depth perception.

From where the bird pranced and fluttered and shook
Jess poked with a stick and pulled back his book.
And, leaning away, he slightly bent down
To carefully peel his book off the ground.

Jess hugged his belonging real tight to his thigh
And trotted off home while holding his eye
'Til, up in his bedroom, he tossed down his book
And, off in the bathroom, he took his first look.

"Oh great," did he moan at such sorry state.
A bruise, it would seem, would be his sad fate.
The eye was bloodshot and already dark
A black eye on Jess did already mark.

His next stop the freezer, where searched he for ice
Or peas he could use as a cooling device.
Then, grateful he was, his uncle did stock it,
Applied he, the bag, to his swollen socket.

Although did Lachesis feel somewhat upset
That physical pain did Jess now beset,
She knew in her heart that what it was for
Was giving, to Jess, a chance at much more.

The Fates did prepare for Friday night dinner.
Some red-tinted fibres did Clotho the Spinner
Twist into their threads so, later that night,
Would Rory and Jess get into a fight.

As red peppered passions and heated discussions,
Their subsequent fight would bring repercussions.
So, sadly, did Clotho deem this would be it:
Their fight would be fatal and then they would split.