Life is more simple
Sitting in my canoe.
Strokes in the water propel me
forward.
I chart my course around the cove.
Stress melts away.
The paddle bites into the tawny
depths.
Shafts of light illuminate the
newborn waves.
Wind and wave push back.
I tack into the breeze.
Muscles turn to the task at hand.
Shoulder and forearm,
Biceps and back, falling to
Familiar work, instinctive in
time.
Left, right.
Alternating sides of the hull.
A ribbon of water streams off the feathered
blade.
A beaver dives into the cove.
We glide together toward the
bridge.
He and I know the way.
Measured distance preserves the
spell.
An army of turtles drop into the
lake,
Escape their only defense.
Each on their own, a ballet in the
water;
A slow elongated dive, glinting in
The reflected light.
Silence in my own little world,
Water, wind, muscle, motion,
Form and function as one.
Panorama of a sunset,
Purple, lilac, amber and gold.
Clouds and pine outline the sky.
Ripples on the water shimmer with
the failing light.
The trill of the loon, haunting
and pure.
Goldfinch, oriole, grackle join
the chorus,
Bullfrog and cricket too.
Heron and osprey soar overhead.
A halo of blackflies silhouetted
on the sky.
A fly kisses the surface.
On shore once again,
My canoe back in its place.
Life is simpler, still
After a paddle on Swains.
===============
edited December 28, 2015
Swains – revised – v2
posted February 13, 2004
revised 2/25/2002
Swains – revised
Written May 15, 2000
Swains
All
of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,
2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 40,460+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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