In a Basin a Little Enchanted

.

Pahn looks down
from a ridge in the mountains
to a forested basin ...where he sees
a small cottage ...among small
green lakes

.
One of the lakes is steep
and rocky on the near shore… … The sky is overcast
and the air is moist
crisp as he angles
down the slope
through open green
woods

.
At the shore of the lake
he looks
over the water ......and though
it is chilly .....he wades in
to see if it is deep
He thinks
he might see fish... but
before he has the chance to look for them
he feels the cold water
seeping
into his clothes

.
He is wearing a thick jacket
that buoys him
but he is afraid
the water
will soak into it
and then
when he gets out
he will be cold
and wet .....Already
he thinks
he is soaked below the chest

.
He gets out of the water… …He makes his way
around
the lower end of the lake
where he walks below the small dam
and sees boys playing
along the edge…
…He climbs up
the small rise toward
the forest cottage .....and
looks back at the lake .....The water
is clear
and motionless
and he can see every rock on the bottom

.
He has never seen
such clear
water in a forest lake.....and knows
instinctively
that it is a little enchanted
.