In that mine

by Allan Lake

Among the dinosaur bones that lie
so still, the fidgety regrets.
My younger and not much younger
self said this/did that, inflicted.
A reckless boat races past swimmers,
wave moves them and slaps
never-quite-the-same beach;
earth feels deeply, speaks to those
who get geology's grammar.
In exasperation my prairie mother
finally said something . . .
a door I'd never noticed,
opened, providing a way out.
She couldn't see her effect but
then even a fare thee well
wave can be a backhand.
Flesh recoils at plain vocab-
ulary and, So long!
Not so long after : the bruise
then, later, enhanced memory
of the bruise.