I have had a book for a long time on bird augury and have looked at it now and then through the years, but lately, I have been trying to learn the names of more of the different birds around us and as I do, I see more signs. So, the swan is an interesting sign related to being a musician and poet. And I am in the process of producing my first music album and my first self-published book. The swan is said to be a source of inspiration for those who are writing music or poetry or stories. From Angel Messages by Claire Nahmad, “When the swan glides towards you, you are being asked to make a polished mirror of your soul so that you may reflect the spiritual worlds.”

For about 2 months, this mute swan and I were hanging out, with strange and magical encounters. I have seen swans on our lake each spring and summer for several years, but I just thought they looked nice and that’s about the end of it. I regularly walk this trail near our house that goes along the lake. Recently on one such walk, I suddenly thought I should stop on a bridge area and when I looked down -there was this swan, gliding back and forth underneath that spot. The next time I saw the swan, it was near a rocky area and so I sat down on one of the large rocks and just watched. The swan turned its head and looked so piercingly into my eyes. It felt like someone was gazing into my soul. I sat and watched and the swan swam back and forth around where I was sitting, sometimes looking at me and sometimes ignoring me. I mostly sat quietly and still, but I also did a little singing. But, this time, it was clear that my presence was acknowledged and that I was welcome to be there.

Another time, I was with a friend and we had decided to take a walk around the lake path and were sitting near the water’s edge talking. After 10-15 minutes of our talking, the swan showed up near us in the water. It was like the swan came to see me when it heard the sound of my voice. It swam back and forth a bit near the water’s edge and then looked up at me and started hissing. (At that time I was holding my friend’s baby.) I told her how I had hung out with this swan on a previous day and she looked at me and said, “I think the swan is jealous.” I talked to the swan and told them it was all ok and the swan stopped hissing. It stuck around for a bit longer and then wandered off.

The next day, I was on a walk by myself and was looking for the swan and wandered a long way down the path not seeing it, but when I turned back and got to the place we had met the day before, that’s when the swan showed up. (Seen in the picture above.) This time, when I saw the swan I walked down near the water’s edge where I saw the swan was eating. The swan started hissing at me and I figured – ok – not a good time. So, I sat on the bench I had been at the previous day, a good distance from the water. The swan kept eating and then when it was done eating, it looked up in my direction and now was staring at me again. I continued to sit still and the swan came out of the water toward me. I just sat and watched and then it eventually went back down to the water. So, I thought maybe I was supposed to sit closer to the water, but when I went to be in the tree right next to the water, I got hissed at. So, I backed up and decided it was time to go. But, instead of the swan swimming in a different direction, it was headed in the water in the same direction I was going on the path. So I thought maybe it wanted me to follow. And it turned out it swam in the water alongside my walking on the path for quite a long time as I headed back toward my place.

I do know that ever since the start of 2021, I have been on a spiritual journey and am enjoying all the music and creative stories that are pouring forth from my soul. And even if it never happens again, I will always treasure this time of hanging out with the sometimes cantankerous, yet usually happy-to-see-me -swan.