HER

Visions

View of my lake

from a creaky old deck

Flat as a pancake without a ripple

fingers of dark green water seep well

Into crevices of barren shore

Nude trees protect her with pride

boats with canvas covers

empty docks lay still

slumber for winter

in a landscape painting

of a gloomy day 

I appreciate these times

when the sun sleeps away short hours

of the clock

and my stubborn knee prevents me 

from my usual three mile walk

It’s a time to reflect

way back when my parents

owned a lake house 

and we kids paddled our canoes

my poor dad watched in horror

Thinking we might tip over

Snapshots of our childhood

vivid images of yesteryear 

I hold fondly to my soul

my withering corpse 

fraught with bulging, crooked

gnarled bones

fumble like they’re about

to meet defeat

Yet until such time

I remain connected to her

in awe of her

prior to my last lonely breath

Author's Note

Thank you for reading!

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

Such a gently described set of memories that I find it so easy to empathise with. Very visual and nostalgic but still with a small easily missed edge.

[Betty Hermelee]

Yes Ken, you are correct!k you for a
Thank you for a "gentle" review!
Warmly, B

[peter Charlesworth]

images from the past
People from so long ago they are just hazy visions
but the names are still etched in memory
Places and journeys are just fleeting visions
Walks through the woods - the stony ground is now smooth

So the vissions keep on rolling through

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you Peter for thoughtful review!
Warmly, B

[Lorry]

Now that you come to mention it, seeing water stilled rather than rippling is way more scary than waves. It almost feels like you've woken before ma matures alarm clock was set to go off and they haven't yet switched on the wave machine (well, I'm sure the cost of living affects everyone and making less waves is way more frugal in a cost of living crisis. We all need to slow our roll and I suppose that means the grandkids have been telling off old Ma Nature for her wasteful ways. 😊
And yes, canoes are evil incarnate. I remember the months of anxiety before attempting my first Eskimo roll, or whatever the heck the woke lot call it these days.
Anuhoo, the worst of it was all the hype you set in your head and instead of getting stuck upside down and hoping nemo would save me, it all went well and I managed it first time. You could say it went off swimmingly, butt only if you're Austin Powers. 😊
This is a great Sunday morning read. I'd maybe just bookmark it though for now, if you have anything canoey booked soon. And for gawds sake don't think of the Jaws theme tune! 😊

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you my dear friend for your very Canoey and your appreciation of nature review, it touches my heart!
Warmly,
B

[Weeping willow]

Wonderfully expressed as your words filled me with images of this place of the lake ;-] Nice

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you my friend, glad you saw those images I tried to convey; warmly
B.

[Chris Shaw]

You talk of your lake here Betty and I totally understand what this place means to you. Some places, we have a life long connection with. They remind us of happy occasions. Some wonderfully descriptive lines. A pleasure reading you.

Chris

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you dear Chris…. A beautiful place dear to my heart, glad I could convey those images….read moreThank you dear Chris…. A beautiful place dear to my heart, glad I could convey those images….
Hope you are well…
Warmly, B

[Gee]

You paint a picture of a place of serenity and calm, a place of long ago happy memories, a place I would very much like to visit, sit quietly and watch time pass by.
Beautifully written Betty.
Hope the cold is not having to much of an adverse effect on your withering corpse :))
Hope you are well.

[Betty Hermelee]

Dear Gee
Thank you sharing those images with me… I do appreciate your lovely comments ,
read moreDear Gee
Thank you sharing those images with me… I do appreciate your lovely comments ,

Warmly, B

[jacob erin-cilberto]

some of the lines here I want to steal and pretend I wrote them

the beginning of the second stanza and beginning of the third...Big Wow for those lines.
Such creative description here.

[Betty Hermelee]

Dear J.
Thank you for reacting as you did to some of my lines
Makes me feel like I am conveying these images clearly and hopefully with some emotion.
Warmly, B

[John the Baptist]

As pets have a way of affecting us spiritually, so does terrain. The speaker here remains attached to a lake which reminds her of one she knew as a child, and the people who were connected with it. It serves also as a reminder that life is passing and she is going with it, but she will remain connected to the lake until her last breath.

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you John for a very thoughtful response….
It seems like all the images really soaked in…
appreciate!
Warmly, B