As he rode his bike north

along Lakeshore Drive,

the lake roared its welcome

in his left ear.

 

The oaks and maples rustled

their branches trying to slap

his back with a gentle hello

in the westerly breeze

 

in an anticipatory effort before

their leaves went south for the

winter. As he walked his

ten-speed on the pier,

 

out to the lighthouse, the

boats came in from Lake

Michigan winding down

the Labor Day

 

weekend. The tired boaters

looked straight ahead trying

hard to focus perhaps after

a few too many

 

drinks and contemplating gett-

ing the boat in the slip or perhaps

grudgingly thinking about

the work-a-day

 

world of tomorrow like a kid

getting nervous on a Sunday

night about unfinished homework

and apprehension of

 

going to school the next day.

Only the waves in the wake

waved.