Sun hits the moist dock
in rays of golden light
and the detailed shadows
of our hair dance on the small breeze
in meticulously thin strands
on the clear green lake.
My auburn hair dips into the water,
upsetting the glassy
reflection of the blue sky.
In the darkness caused by our shadows,
we can see straight to the rocky bottom.
When I look into the water, I see fish.
They swim around,
never absolutely still.
They hide under the dock
when I reach down to touch the water.
I roll onto my back
and rest my hands
on my damp sweater.
I look up and see a tree
silhouetted against the cloudless sky.
On the very top of the tree,
a small bird stands
perfectly still, not moving,
and I feel happy.
In these few moments of pure silence,
I feel the kind of happy
that is so uncontaminated
it tricks me into thinking I’m sad.
The bell rings, and the small moment
is over. We are caught up
in the rush of life again.