As seasons shift and boating winds down for the year, it seems like the perfect time to share a beautiful short poem by MITA member Jim Owen of Belfast, Maine. He pays fitting tribute to a different seasonal change, spring into summer, reminding us that cold season always comes around eventually, but a new summer is never too far behind!
Paddling into Eternity
This morning I went for my first paddle of the season,
With snow still to be found on the dark side,
Of houses and woodpiles and barns,
A cool breeze was in the air, far below the puffy clouds,
Caressing the water of the harbor,
So gently there were hardly any waves at all,
The bright sun felt as good as it looked,
Spring sunlight danced on wavelets near and far,
And warmed my back as I paddled.
I wasn’t completely alone in the harbor,
Among all the empty moorings and absent docks,
I saw five Loons as I paddled,
Three already in their summertime black backs with white dots,
Somehow the presence of the Loons,
Calmly ducking their heads, looking for prey,
Then diving out of sight in winged pursuit,
Confirmed the arrival of Spring,
The imminent arrival of Summer,
And just how eternal the changing Seasons are,
In contrast to my own mortality.
— Jim Owen
P.S. Jim has been a MITA member and donor without any lapses since 1993. That’s dedication!
