Summer breeze is reward for Winter’s toil
freed toes delve dipping
into sand once boulders now soft and cool to touch
Purple rocks with driftwood bounty fills eyes as far one can see
Beyond the babble force of once upon gale and rainstorms gathering in deepest pools lending peaceful now to chatter of cicadas before the wake of frogs and half moonlight
Skipping stones across the surface towards otters whose heads pop up like candy gum treats and down again
Sweet and swift the flow of shadowing trees sheltering from a high noon sun and warming skin to the touch
Downstream children splash and chatter about the squishy moss that presses between their toes avoiding logs and rapids
Dappled light tumbles down towards me as I release the cares and woe of worries
A leaf gathers gumption to freely float away taken down by frothy undertow toes quickly bounding up and free from constraints now revel in thriving beyond survival
I am the leaf.