Ducks

Ducks, which begin arriving in late fall and populate creeks and ponds throughout the Japanese islands through the cold winter, have long been a favorite subject of Japanese poets and painters. Since they remain on the water even as ice forms around them and frost forms on their colorful feathers, they often serve as a metaphor for sleeping alone or remaining faithful to one’s partner when away from home. In this painting, Kusumi Morikage shows a pair of mated ducks in a creek at night with a poem above.