The canoe on the river

Early Sunday morning

I didn’t expect to see

a canoe on the river,

gliding in silence,

water like liquid glass;

a smooth reflection 

but unclear, slightly

blurred. I strained

to hear the sound 

of a paddle slicing 

through the current

but it was already

too far away. I called

out but the canoeist 

didn’t look up, didn’t 

see me watching from 

above, and while

I was too far away

to see the face, I knew

I had seen it before

in a mirror.

Fall had turned, 

and I missed it

like I missed 

so much else.

The editors of Tweet6speak Poetry are hosting a 30-Day, 30-Poem Challenge for Earth Month entitled, appropriately enough, Poetic Earth Month. Today, the featured poem is “Aubade” by L.L. Barkat, and the poetry prompt is to write a love or friendship poem that captures a sense of loss.