John Clark

Barefoot Morning

The sun hangs fresh in the sky
just above the line of cottages and trees
at the eastern end of the lake.
There is not a ripple to be seen
on the surface—smooth
as the glass of a giant mirror.
With a taut rope in hand tied
to a 160 horse-powered boat
speeding across this mirrored
surface at 40 miles-per-hour
I step off the slalom with nothing
between the soles of my feet
and the water.
The spray like a geyser rises
from the side of each foot
and catches the shimmering
sunlight and in seconds
its rainbow hues.
On the edge. Heart
on fire.

John Clark: I love creativity and participate by composing music (piano) and poems. I retired from a 23-year public radio career with plenty of time to do both.