Mirror Lake, Yosemite              for Janet Houser

Late afternoon sun venerated our heads
As we rode full-throttle to Mirror Lake
Janet had to take me there
As soon as we arrived at Camp 7.
She looked back at me as we pedaled,
--Daytime fading quickly--
The Lake to me was more about quiet
Than vision,
A grayed clarity in half light,
Giving back upside-down granite
And pine schemes,
And the soft edges of my own breaths.
We flew on rubber back to our campsite,
--Four tires spewing gravel wakes--
We passed the Pioneer Cemetery
Where a tombstone read:
    "Ah, that beauteous head,
     If it did go down it
     Carried sunshine into
     The rapids."

Laura Stickney  2018


Notes:

Gravestone notation from the marker
of Sadie Schaeffer, 1873-1901.

Photo of Mirror Lake from Geotripper