December 2nd

18 x 23cm Watercolour on Watercolour Paper Collage. Original.

Have you ever seen a swan waking up in the morning?

I live by the mouth of the River Lee, where it joins the deep harbour. On one of these dark mornings I looked out, just as a little light was beginning to loosen the edges of the night. There is often something floating on the water: branches, gardening debris, plastic barrels, once a full container of tomato soup. ‘More plastic I thought’ when I saw a white shape dipping up and down on the waves. A large ship passed loudly and the shape bobbed up and down more urgently in the wake. A disgruntled swans head pulled up from the shape. I swear the swan was glaring at the ship until it passed. When things settled down he or she tucked its head back in and snoozed on for a bit, until it was bright. Even swans snooze. Somebody here needs to hear that today.