the swans hiss
parental obligation
…warn the intruder
sunning turtles roll
drunks falling off of bar stools
…curse the kayaker
water lilies
mimicking ice cream cones
…licked by the bees
floating overhead
an Osprey admires himself
…a silent river
a pickerel darts
a frog croaks
…not just wordplay
the Geese look surprised
a cool riffling of feathers
…instinctual need
John G. Lawless
©7/29/2022
He stood in his kayaker
surveying the dark amber fog,
Creeping towards him,
shedding saffron mist around him.
Yellow livered, he trembled
as tawny chill descended his spine.
He peered carefully around;
afraid he’d see a lemon shark.
I was witness to poetry in motion
amidst all the world’s chaos and humdrum
As the sun lazily rose from its eastern bowers
this bare backed man presented quite a picture
He gracefully lowered his oar with a soft swish
moving slowly looking for fish
Rowed his makeshift boat on scooter tyres
the lone kayaker on lake waters.
for Backwards poem contest by Matt Caliri