facing Harper Lake
today a stranger and I made plans
to face the lake together
we’ve both been round its tame shore
enough times to expect the cottonwood to the south
and the Indian Peaks view to the west
but what we’re not quite prepared for
is what’s left of the homes we saw on TV
sending great jets of ravenous orange flame
into the night, seeming to burn for hours
with a tender couple silhouetted before that wall of fire
we know what a luxury it is
to not have seen it all yet
to not have to deal in the daily minutiae
of Right of Entry forms
and adjusters
(and knowing whether that’s -er or -or)
agents and policies and replacement everythings
rentals and architects and builders and plans –
plans, most of all –
no, we go about our days with the privilege
of not needing to plan much of anything,
able to choose when to face the lake
on our own terms,
a choice that couple never had to make
