A Perfect Morning

By Joshua Lemley

As I walk to the pond

I stop to take a breath
My breath covers my sight
As if I took a drag to fill my chest
The morning is colder in the dark
My headlamp keeps me on the path
As I approach the pond I hear it’s calling
Like an old friend who says hello. I can hear him
I walk into the pond, water presses tight on my legs
As if a little sibling were hugging me
Coming home from a long day
In the dark I find my way to the island
Like the back of my hand I know this pond well
The island is tall with branches and weeds
Like a child it grew more than last year
As I throw my decoys into the pond
My hands began to freeze from the cold water
As light approaches, I descend into the island
To hide myself from the ducks that come
Dark objects fly through the sky
As you began to see
One by one they come off the roost
As the sun starts to rise
Over the hills.