Two dozen overweight, elderly persons, one
Pregnant mother floating her first baby, two
Young adults, and one six year-old girl
Paddled about in the steam as rain drizzled
And mists reclined on the wooded slopes
Around. Hummingbirds fought dogfights
At the half-dozen hanging feeders. A raven
That could have flown straight from a Norse
Kenning about battlefields, it was that large,
Cut a glide out of the mists, over the pools.
How many games can a drifting primate play
Without upsetting the balance of power
Between the warmth and the chill? Daughter
Ducked under, blew bubbles, piggy backed,
Held her breath from one end of the pool
To the other. We all test ourselves, especially
When we go into the woods to relax. The count
Lowered steadily as the afternoon advanced.
Soon only three older couples plus
Body and daughter remained. An hour
Or two was about all anyone could take
Of the relative cessation of aches and pains,
Of casual contentment before lumbering
Out, dripping and extra wrinkled, body
After body, after body, to rinse and dry,
To change into acceptable clothing, to drive
Away down the winding green canyon road.
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