A Man Gets Off Work Early
 
 

Thomas Lux
 
 

and decides to snorkel in a cool mountain lake.

Not as much to see

as in the ocean but it’s tranquil (no sharks) floating

face down into that other world.

The pines’ serrated shadows reach

aross the waters

and just now, below him, to his left,

a pickerel, long and sharp and . . .whappa whappa whappa,

louder, behind, above him, louder,

whappa whappa whappa . . . . Two weeks later,

20 miles away, he’s found,

a cinder, his wetsuit

melted on him, in a crab-like position

on the still warm ash

of the forest floor

through which fire tore unchecked,

despite the chemicals,

the men with axes and shovels,

despite the huge scoops of lakewater

dropped on it

from his friend, the sky,

on whom he turned his back.