Traversing the Stream

All is quiet
except for the the water rushing
and the dragonflies buzzing
and the sloshing of water
inside my
feet and water-filled boots
as I walk through the creek behind my house
following my Dog Captain
who eagerly traverses the stream in serpentine after serpentine

I
am more cautious
since the rocks I tread upon are
slick with slime
algae covered
with growth
of a certain kind

Each footstep
is thoughtfully placed
and I pause for a moment
as the water gets deeper
cause I know that my boots
will soon become full
and their rims
like the edge of an infinity pool
with a water-fall rushing in
swelling them
to capacity

But the water is tolerable
and the boots are boots
after all

wading now
up to my knees
standing on
triangular rocks
balancing

Captain now
ashore

I hike up the ledge
of the creek's edge
through waist high growth
arriving
on deer trodden trails
and
through the back lawn
the air damp with honeysuckle
and I breathe deep
the sweet sweet fragrance of summer
slosh
slosh
slosh

bending to remove
the first rubber boot
I empty it's
body temperature contents
on the freshly planted
Dahlia Bulbs
and then remove the next one
and serve up the strawberry patch
some unexpected care
taking note of the first red berries of the season
not yet eaten by deer

unraveling now
the twisted garden hose
rinsing the rubber boots
giving Captain a Squirt
and retreat to the indoors
where the air is cool

All is quiet
except for the water
rolling round
in the washing machine sloshing
laundry is nigh
and the basket's filled high

fill the cat's bowl
which is all but gone dry
with water from the tap
by and by