Rowing
A poem by J. K. Durick

Rowing

First, you push off from the dock.
How hard you push is up to you.
Push off with your foot or hand
Then fix the oars, then take your seat
And begin to row.
You row into it, facing back, watching
where you have been.
It’s the pulling motion that gets you
where you want to go.
You row and row
like in that childish song you’d sing –
row, row, row your boat gently down the stream.
But this isn’t a stream, it’s a lake.
And your destination is up to you,
to get somewhere and/or just use up time.
Out there, there are no streets or roads
or paths through the woods.
There’s just you in a small boat
pulling yourself through the water.
If it’s the right kind of a day
it cooperates with a gentle breeze
not too hot or too cold.
And there you are,
in charge of your time and destination.
Pulling yourself and a small boat
out onto the lake
going just as far and as fast
as you want to go.

About the Author:

J. K. Durick is a retired writing teacher and online writing tutor. His recent poems have appeared in Third Wednesday, Black Coffee Review, Literary Yard, Sparks of Calliope, Synchronized Chaos, Madswirl, Journal of Expressive Writing, Lightwood, andHighland Park Poetry.

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