Great Lakes Give and Take

These lakes hold gifts and treasures--
shining fish of rose gold and silver
all bespangled and glittering emerald shiners.
These freshwater seas slide Atlanticward
and flow forever in seadreams.

Eagles and swift peregrines ride their airstreams.
Beaches of quartz sand rise and
beaches where agates tumble and slide.

The Niagara escarpment rises above
glittering embayments.
Burbot and whitefish dart depths among
bones of sailors who went down with their ships.

Moody and fickle
they chuckle and lap
turn sullen and black they take back
and give and then take back.
Take back.