The Beerkill.
Step out from the shore one yard,
it’s two feet deep.
Three steps further out,
no bottom.

But what if you dive from the
stern
or you leap from the
gunnels?
You may discover the edge of a
drowned stone
three feet below.

If you want to shrink two or three inches
quickly,
just jump off, feet first
into what?
Surprise!
Water, two feet deep
near the middle of the pond!
Feel your thoracic disks
compact
as yourskullmeetsyourcollarbone,
in anaccordiancompression.

Or,
dive head first
and feel your last sensation
as your brains gray matter mixes
with murky, tannin water.
Would your eyes,
for a second,
see the ooze
before they were snatched up
and swallowed down
by a pickerel or a large mouth bass?

Let your oar be your wisdom.
Take the lakes measure
before
you leap into the pleasure
of a swim above the trenches
of our little pond.