Jun 2019
Rounded smooth
Mostly flat
The perfect stone must fit
In hand comfortably
With index finger extended
Along the back edge
Firmly
With a step forward
And twist of the body
A side-arm sling
Low to the water
Whip and a fling
Last bit to touch the stone
Finger
The aim is out
Not up
Forward
Not down
A trajectory of perfect velocity
And angle to deflect the earth
And skip
Skip.......
Skip......
Skip.....
Skip....
Skip
Skip
Skip
And then the sink
To bottom
Lost forever
After giving it’s life
To a perfect skip
Across the water leaving
Rings
Mostly flat
The perfect stone must fit
In hand comfortably
With index finger extended
Along the back edge
Firmly
With a step forward
And twist of the body
A side-arm sling
Low to the water
Whip and a fling
Last bit to touch the stone
Finger
The aim is out
Not up
Forward
Not down
A trajectory of perfect velocity
And angle to deflect the earth
And skip
Skip.......
Skip......
Skip.....
Skip....
Skip
Skip
Skip
And then the sink
To bottom
Lost forever
After giving it’s life
To a perfect skip
Across the water leaving
Rings
Finding then skipping the perfect stone was my medium as a young artist standing in shin-deep crystal clear water in Minnesota as a child and teen. Scanning for stones through ripples. Picking, lifting, judging... skipping. Always trying to get better.... always trying for the longest skips.
