stoic

only the slightest ripple
disturbed a glass-like lake
a solitary duck
lingered on the wooden causeway
the milkiness in the sky
reflected itself down
leaving the trees
in outline
reversed
upon the lake

a breeze arose
as if in warning
as one
no two
then three
hawks appeared
like negatives in the
mirror lake

bird song stopped
even the reeds
appeared to still

swirling
searching
then away

but the mirror
broken
the upside down world
gone

unthreatened
stoic
a single drake
waited
for better times
at the end
of that broken pier





Poetry by Peter Humphreys The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 936 times
star mini Editors' choice
Written on 2013-08-17 at 19:09

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Mark J. Wood
You reminded me that the upside down world was the real one and that I keep straying into the one that we are supposed to not think is the imaginary one.

Thanks for taking me back.

(It had to be a drake; it wouldn't have worked with a duck.)

Mark.
2013-08-21


Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
This text has been chosen to be featured on the home page of PoetBay. Thank you for posting it on our poetry website.
2013-08-19


shells
Such a beautiful and clear picture you have written, I just love the lines "hawks appeared like negatives."
2013-08-18


Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
Beautiful, I could see the ripples, feel the stillness - and that duck, how he makes me smile

Elle x
2013-08-18


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Very nice.
2013-08-18



Interesting that the drake is 'waiting' for better times, which implies to me that he knows there coming--just a little stoicism is all he needs.

Enjoyed.
2013-08-18



I enjoyed the imagery, and the format reminded of the horizon one might see on lake lined with trees, and the sky above.
2013-08-18



This is lovely:)
You made me see that lake and the silhouettes ...it is quite charming:)
2013-08-17