Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Drifting

from Two Ghosts/poems
x
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxECHO LAKE
X
A gray scaly fish, dead,
with a glazed eye bulging
past its socket,
floated on the water.
I dipped my hand into icy Echo Lake,
rocking the rowboat.
x
My father said sit still,
do you want to turn us over?
x
Of course not I told myself,
because if we fall in and we sink,
I'll get lost in a bottomless evermore.
x
Echo Lake was lassoed by trees
in a ragged circle,
the sky rising above forever,
and water that went down, kept going
on a path till it reached a star
on the other side.
Nothing returned to raise its head
ever again.
x
If I called out
Help,
only my own voice would come back
over and over like a ghost
before I became one.
And that would not save me.
x
My father was right,
so I sat still.
x
x
c all rights reserved




17 comments:

A Cuban In London said...

'Echo Lake was lassoed by trees'.

I have to say that my hard Scorpio's armour crumbles whenever I read lines like the one above. Many, many thanks.

And next time, catch the bloody fish! :-)

Greetings from London.

Lyn said...

Greetings to A Cuban-
Good to know there's a crumble point for Scorpio..glad it's you..Thank you so much!!

Marty said...

Haunting images - I loved this little story!

Lyn said...

Hi Marty-
Thank you..I never wanted to go back!!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I love the imagery in this, Lyn!

Lyn said...

Hi Raph-
This is just one of those places that stayed with me...thank you!

Natalie said...

You painted a pretty eerie picture there, my friend. Well done.xx♥

Unknown said...

H Lyn,

A powerful memory! Water is a strong element isn't it? Compelling, mesmerising but also dark and haunting. I have never liked the idea of swimming in a lake!

Lyn said...

Hi Natalie-
Eerie..hmmm...I'll take that! Thank you...

Lyn said...

Hi Derrick-
Having some problems getting and posting comments last couple of days..maybe it's changing!
Anyway..you're right about water..especially since this kid was told the lake was bottomless!
Thank you..

Tom Atkins said...

Ah, the images brought to mind my long ago teenager-hood, and summer afternoons on the mill pond with my grandfather. Wonderful writing.

Lyn said...

Hi Tom-
So glad to see a new face! Thank's for your memories and for your generous words.

Lyn said...

Hi Tom, again..
Tried to leave comment on your blog 2x..not accepting!! Will try again...

? said...

Thanks ...thats so beautiful.

Lyn said...

Rising-
Thank you so much..I appreciate your kind words!

Deedee said...

very evocative, Lyn - I feel like I'm in the boat too...

Lyn said...

Deedee-
Thank you..even I feel that I'm back in that boat!!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin