Resurfacing

by Larry Chamberlin   Dec 7, 2016


There's nothing bleak about Spring;
for that you need a good hopeless Winter day,
where the light slips away
to hide in the grey gloom.

The woods fill your steps in pine needle silence
and effigies of crows
are statues on branches
barely turning heads
as you pass below.

Fields of dead grass
invite you to leave
without a glimmer of hope;
lakeshore mud
clogs your boots resisting passage.

Cold water rises from the stagnant depths
past the hips and into
the quivering spot
in the small of your back,
giving pause where once
irresolute despondency
sent you hoping for a quick and painless ending.

Stand there, frozen in a step,
dulled but awake.
Under the surface
just in front of you -
a brief rainbow of scales
that twitches away.

There! Alive!
The world calls to you;
the pale sky, color of cream
nourishes your spirit.
The lake enlivens your senses
you feel your clothes cling cold to your skin.

You erupt in a fit of giggles, chuckles -
roaring laughter at yourself:
standing soaking thinking
the world owes you everything
when all you needed
was a glimpse of eternity
in the scales of a rainbow.

8


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Latest Comments

  • 7 years ago

    by abracadabra

    Even better.

  • 7 years ago

    by Larry Chamberlin

    It's interesting that when I wrote the line about Bob Marley I felt uncomfortable & it was the very line the judges decried. I thank them both for their candor & urge to improve.

  • 7 years ago

    by Em

    I could have sworn I commented on this,but obviously not lol my minds playing tricks.
    Absolutely fantastic, well done on another fantastic piece and congratulations
    Em

  • 7 years ago

    by hiraeth

    Congrats on the win!

  • 7 years ago

    by Everlasting

    Congrats Mr. Larry

    That ending as well:

    When all you needed was a glimpse of eternity in the scales of a rainbow"

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