Lake

Lake

Hush, as a breath held…

Sky admires fiery fall finery
In the cerulean blue below.

Turtles bob and submerge,
Bottle-glass green, inquisitive.

Hovering osprey fold wings,
Rocket crashing onto finned prey,
Rising, winging away,
Trout silhouetted torpedo position,
To the nearest pine bough.
Breakfast is served.

The wake of a yard-long otter
Echoes the formation of south-bound geese
Toward a grayed and sodden deadfall.
Pulling gracefully onto the weathered wood
Grooming begins.

The rustle and rush of field mice
Crackles through the year-end grass,
The chill air eliciting urgency
In the hoarding of seed
Insulating of dens.

Rain tiptoes across the lake.
Thirsty earth sighs.
A north sough ruffles and pleats the darkening water.
In earnest the rain gives its all.

L