The Pasture Pond [repost, for Tima's challenge]

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Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

0 posted 2003-09-01 05:39 PM

The Pasture Pond

There is the 160, and to the
northwest corner in a sheltered area
lies a small
pond, primarily north and southern laid,
curving,
a drainage area succumbing at
the northern end from too much rain,
the furthermost corner of the
dammed area eroding away.

To reach the pond you must go over two
swells of elevated native country,
not hills, just swells,
enough to lift you high at the top to see
360 degrees,
and view the Smoky Hills.
Indian country. Virgin land.
Just you and me.
Once at the pond, we can slide rocks over the
frozen waters, and test the ice with our boots,
give it more weight,
hear a cracking and step back.
Not cold enough to slide across
fear holds us back, we’ve
never known how really deep the pond
and don’t want to find out now.

Wait a moment.

Spring’s rains dissolve the iciness of winter
and warmer weather starts the pond to
brewing scum
green, bubbling, warm sun growing
algae, with bobbing eyes of half-morphed
tadpoles blinking, sinking, popping up over
there,
see? Step into the worn ruts
left from last summer’s cow’s tracings
to the edge of the pond,
kick the sand a
bit with your booted toe, and watch the
red ants swarm. Cattails are beginning,
reeds only.

Wait a moment.

Summer erupts the pond into cattails brown tops
and frogs
and squirrels chittering along the bank,
and turtles
and bugs, water bugs dancing,
skimming the pond’s surface
and down the frog’s throat.
Now skim small rocks, flat rocks,
make them dance
and plop. Plop. Plop.
A bit of moss clings to the edge of the water
and you walk softly there, to not scare
....croack.... splash, splish, frogs
hear you anyway, and dive, dive safely.

The weeping willow lends a long trunk outward
over the pond, enough to sit on and gaze out
on the shimmering pond’s
surface, discerning
eyes of toads, frogs and perhaps a turtle
floating in the middle.
Wishing for a small boat.
Just for the heck of it. Heads disappear. Pop
back up. Croaking.
Chirping. Buzzing.
Look toward the pond’s south end,
a blue heron standing.
Still. Silent. Solitary.
Ducks overhead, waiting for us to
leave.

Wait a moment.

Rest begins. Water lower, scum gone,
cooler mornings, lazy afternoons of fall
begun.
Cattails effervesced into
fuzzy white puffs of seed
waiting for scattering winds.
Shining gold/yellow/red/orange
reflections on blue water
from the cottonwoods, elms,
birch, and hedgetrees. Quiet. A frog, huge now,
croaking deeper, lonely, only the one? No answer.
Splush.
Cows on the rise,
watching you, waiting for you to leave.

Come with me. You’ve seen the seasons of the pond.

QjQ
Member Elite

since 2003-04-18

Posts 3756
U.S.A.

1 posted 2003-09-01 05:50 PM

Yas!! seasons are for reasons and you have done well penning the imagery of them,

suthern

Member Seraphic

since 1999-07-29

Posts 20723
Louisiana

2 posted 2003-09-02 10:14 AM

And I enjoyed them immensely. *S* I've had more spankings for sneaking off to the pond... never could resist its siren call, though. *G*

Nightshade

Member Patricius

since 2001-08-31

Posts 13962
just out of reach

3 posted 2003-09-02 10:26 AM

Karilea.....please...take me there?!!!! How beautiful is this?! hugs to you dear lady, sister of my heart. Chris

"Hope" is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul ~
Emily Dickinson

Enchantress
Member Empyrean

since 2001-08-14

Posts 35113
Canada eh.

4 posted 2003-09-02 10:43 AM

"Wait a moment"
..and in the blink of an eye the seasons change.
How beautifully blended..wonderfully written!
Another keeper for my Sunshine folder.

~Smiles & Hugs, Nancy~

~The breeze that kissed you on the face,
Has held me in the same embrace~

timothysangel1973

Senior Member

since 2001-12-03

Posts 1725
Never close enough

5 posted 2003-09-02 04:06 PM

Sunshine! This is just beautiful! Wow, I had no idea when I posted this challenge of the wonderful peices of writing that would be born!

Ya'll have made me soooooooo happy here, and Sunshine, I felt like I was there with you!

Tima

Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.

Fran Lebowitz

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