A hot Labor Day; a beautiful swimming place and a long time ago.

The evergreen water holds
golden reflections-
Everyone here is high
on something--
themselves, or
the perfect day.

Pubescent boys giggle a tribute
at the eternal graces,
today bikinied as
they stroll beneath ancient pines,
barefoot upon sweet moldering bracken,
as much flesh as can be
legally exposed.
A wizard, disguised
as a young husband waves
from a rock.
“Nymphs,
come frolic with me.”

Lotus Lady sees the
flash of a white hand
that rises dripping,
a jeweled sword among
the heedless swimmers.

A crone rests her tired feet in the
water and reads a paperback
while blackhanded Hercules
eats another cookie and then – click!
Captures another image
of speeding time.

Queen Bee, eyes swimmer's red,
stands arms outstretched,
across the water like a beacon,
but no one chooses to notice.

The children shine
like newfallen daystars,
whooping in
that glorious,
grass-green water,
and we are all
temporarily,
metaphorically,
cool.