I stack rocks for when the lake rises again

the dogs wade around waiting for me

to remember that throwing toys is more fun



33 summers ago my father and I moved

the large rocks from the shallow water

to build a double line to break the waves



of the fall storms, to give the winter ice

a place to rise, my mother and sister

floated the stones through the shallows



bucket after bucket full, a sheet of plywood

on top of the air mattress, it was blue

and the sun was hot, I learned that a small



boulder can roll easily when under water

and your forearms only ache until you fall asleep

flipping the round weight of them to tumble



gently through Georgian Bay water