night swim

slipping into cool lake water

short flowing elementary backstrokes

under pine, and oak boughs

cast in flickering campfire light

then further 

out past "the rock"

into the middle of the bay

floating still

on a floating planet

looking up through milky way arms

a few of those stars are in other galaxies

a few of them are galaxies

beyond beyond

a commute

to the south

early morning commute snarled

cars hopping off the highway

onto rural route sixteen

lights flash

fire trucks coming in hot

from the city

an ambulance rushes past

in the other direction

racing down the icy shoulder

to the north

driving slow 

in bleary eyed traffic jam

a cow in the hay field?

...no there are two

a mother moose

ploughing a deep snow trail

for her calf

doing the work

parking lot princes, and/or princesses 

stumble in late...again

they are new clothes naked

as they promenade down the hall

one or two are clothed (phew)

rusty armour

tattered capes trail

swinging their yardstick swords

and rehanging flags

all bang, bluster

and gentle reminders

running from crisis to crisis to crisis

or long lunch laughing

the tired monk 

closes his door

climbs on the oak desk

unscrews the speaker cover

one deft snip

of the intercom wires

doing the work