Clay in the soil

keeps the rain

so that when it storms

little ponds pop up

in every pock mark

 

It is Summer

There is a shower every day

Frogs hold soirees in the evening

Their love a chorus

carried 360° around our home

In the morning

there will be jellied eggs

like wet chia seed clumps

floating in the puddles

 

On the lake

I see a swimmer

when I take my morning walks

She swims the length

of Melrose Bay and back

I would surely die of heart failure

from fear of giant gators

But she swims dutifully

with cap and goggles

and has yet to be eaten alive

 

Afternoons are filled with art

and music in the park

Kids collecting tadpoles

discovering treasure troves of Melrose Rocks

Everyone visiting

because everyone knows everyone

and there are stories to be told

 

The sun sets

in pink and blue ribbons

at the end of the hidden boardwalk

There, the dock has a view

worth battling ticks, spiders, and mosquitos for

It is where we hiked as newlyweds

to celebrate each other with an ale

It is where my parents

take out-of-town guests

when they want to show off

the serene beauty of their bay

It is a spot only the locals know exists

 

The path is muddied

because it keeps the rains

like so many bodies of water

cradled by the arms

of our winsome county