Negative Capability Press Poetry Blog

2

a poem about the lake

i was eight when my parents
bought a cabin on lake martin
and it quickly became my sanctuary
from life's sordid realities
as well as the doorway directly into them

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that cabin was the holiest place i knew
offering its gifts of beauty and release
not only in the summer
but also when the fall colors waltzed
in the silvery shimmer of the waves
when the winter wind
always much colder than you'd expect
for central alabama
shot across the water
shocking my brother drew and me
as we walked along bare rocky shores
beside choppy black receded waves
or when the warm spring air
tempted us to take the first plunge
of the season into the still frigid lake
as pollen gathered in yellow
clusters atop the greening rippling water

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yet the summers were most special
while the other children spent theirs
longing for the good humor and ding dong man
to cool their days with the momentary meltings
of snow cones and soggy ice cream sandwiches
we had all the treats we could dream of right there
from water sports and explorations
of the lake and surrounding woods
to learning how to drive the boat drink beer
and appreciate the secret subtle nuances
of seeking out the best assembles of bikinis
on the beaches and piers throughout our slough

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we had it all right there for the choosing
right there waiting to be unwrapped