The Innisfree Poetry Journal www.innisfreepoetry.org by John McKernan
Winter 1964, Fremont, Nebraska
Years ago Our family came here One 4th of July
A small boy drowned that day His parents both drunk My father stayed the day but never came again
Today the gravel quarry lake is frozen white Except for one ring of blue With a solitary duck that seems asleep
The bird's feathers Red & blue & green A species of some rainbow
The ice is thick only along the shore Covered with snow A full moon still up there in the blue sky
What am I doing here I say out loud I scare myself a lot of times now Looking at this frozen lake
If I would walk out Onto cracking ice Towards that bird
I would definitely sink Remembering the firework show Those calm umbrella explosions
Of red & white & blue That chocolate cake with ice cream My father's smile My mother's laugh Copyright 2006-2012 by Cook Communication |