it's close to four a.m. and we're awake
knees stiff from a day's walking
long legs throbbing, feet aching,
bare soles feeling every inch of gritty sand
hateful pointed rocks
and bits of seashell and fishbone
our laughter
harsh and
intruding on the night like
snapping branches
we're young enough still to gasp
at looming trunk shadows
to challenge birch soldiers guarding the path
young enough to be stunned into silence
by the lake's sudden flatness emerging
to mimic the lights of a faraway city
we'll never reach
even if we swim all night
the shock of water erases
the long hot day
nipples clench, toes cringe
skin tightens
as we wade deeper
the tiniest waves break against our knees
soon we're part of it, floating
feeling its pulse
for a few moments we bath in the lake's life
and it washes us clean