I saw a beautiful floating thing
rock–leaf–floaty, hovering
just beneath the surface of the pond.
My heart gazed;
my romance
always on
“It is perhaps a piece of trash;
don’t be open.”
I gazed
sunken rock, gold leaf, floating submerged
Then I saw it:
a turtle’s head poking out of the water
breathing with the whole pond,
breathing my breath,
so cute and innocent
at once my love was explained.
One turtle in the whole pond
breathing in air for the whole pond,
poking its head out to connect
the underneath with the forest.
Floating in earnest little grace
and so picturesque
I grabbed and shook my phone.
“You are going to miss him.
He will go should you take
his picture.”
I took it.
He was not in it,
just a pond and woods
so picturesque if there would
be a little turtle in the middle of it.
I gazed
and saw the turtle unchanged
and as I delighted
he ducked his head down;
a ring emanated over the pond
and a little bloop where his head had been
— gone.
I looked back at the picture.
He was there; his head
one little speck.
The sublime floating gold
unseen
hidden by the pond’s reflection
of the sky.
I talked with some people there;
they had seen the turtle, too.