Come, walk with me along our lake.
Many memories await us here, my love, if
only your mind would let you keep them.
Reach out your sunspotted hands to touch the cattails.
Here, I picked this one for you.
Feel the ridges, like fine sandpaper
against your leathered palm.
Break it in half; watch as the fur explodes
outwards and, lazy in the breeze, flows out
over the water…
Stop here, on our bridge, for a moment.
Do you remember, I built this bridge for you?
Rest your hands against the steady lumber.
Here, in the middle, I carved your name.
Look down, past our reflection in the water—yes,
those wrinkled faces are our own—
and watch as the dragonflies
hatch. Some won’t make it,
as the glimmering koi below must eat.
And look! Out on the lake, watch the
cormorant dive deep, searching for
supper beneath the surface.
Breathe, smell our world around us.
Notice the waterlilies! and
inhale the pine that stands watch,
the sharp scent from its sharp needles
invigorating each breath.
Even last year’s leaves, dropped from the
acrid willow and now uncovered by spring,
exhale the breath of new life.
Cherish this as I cherish you. Hold as
much of it with you as you can. Know
that you are part of it all, and it will
remember us as we drift away.
Lincoln Oliphant is a Creative Writing and Publishing student in the MA program at DePaul University. He enjoys writing across genres, but poetry calls to him like none other. He enjoys camping, kayaking, and spending time with his cats Milo and Clementine.