Salmon Skin - Poem by Raymond A. Foss

A pause on the bridge, a break in my day, as night came
A stop to drink in the murmur, the echo, pulsed from the fountain
Across the stillness of the water, pushing toward me
The salmon surface of the water drank in the rippling reflections of the reeds.
Like tethered monochrome wrapping ribbon, undulating on the skin
A momentary scene, lost to the darkening, an instant later

Another circuit of the park, quiet pulling me in
Separating from the memory of the bustle at the pool
Earlier this day, when the sun reigned
Peace among the doubt of the studying,
Learning on the fly, in summary,
Keeping me at the school, that drives me to the pond, to start with

Losing myself, in the tranquility of the water’s motion
The connectedness of the sky, its echo in the salmon skin
And its hold on me, soothing my soul
Lost in my solitary march, exercise and rejuvenation
Around the water, in the park, across from the school
My instant sanctuary, nurturing and reminding, of more

6/28/04 20:44, Started via voicemail at 6/27/04 at 8:43pm (of just the 4th line), about the peace I get when I take a break from my studying and take a walk over Pierce Bridge and the pond at White Park, Concord, NH