'Twas the day before Xmas
And down by the river
The wind and the rain
Made man, bird, and beast shiver.

Joggers, dog walkers,
And birdwatchers, too,
Getting frozen and soaked --
What a dumb, loyal crew.

Blackbacks on pilings
Turned into the breeze,
And fluffed up their feathers
And hoped not to freeze.

A tug shoved a tanker
Forcefully north
While ferries from Hoboken
Sailed back and forth.

A new pair of ducks --
Young King Eiders, oh my! --
Stood tall in the rain
And gave all the slit-eye.

Gulls rode the water
And pecked at debris;
A cormorant popped
Up from under the sea.

Traffic noise roared
Without slowing or stopping
As lots of New Yorkers
Did late Xmas shopping.

A train whistle blew
On the river's far side.
Your humble reporter
Went home and got dried.