Lessons

Lessons

when I was a very little girl
my sister and I
used to play
among the lake rocks
in front of our cottage.

big waves and slimy algae
and dragonflies
among the reeds
that’s years ago now

we no longer wear
waterwings
or float on pieces of foam

we used to pick
the long weeds
from the water

without them
one could swim easier
and besides —
they were scummy
and tickled
our arms.

the dragonflies would jump
from
plant      to      plant
holding tight
to each other’s tails

making love,
i suppose.

we would pull them —
year after year
summer after summer
from the bay
in great piles
braid them together

and wear them as headdresses
or impermanent jewels

but that’s years ago now

the bay is clear.
too shallow for swimming.

and those dragonflies
those blue blue
dragonflies

never returned.

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