What the Lake Saw

The Moon saw itself on the face of a drowsy lake and said,
"I'm powerful."
The lake shimmered in amazement at the Moon's greatness.
Recognizing a watery surface,
the Moon panicked and thought,
"I'm drowning."

A woman looked closely at herself in the lake's mirror and said,
"I'm beautiful."
The lake rippled its surface in agreement
and the woman thought,
"except for those wrinkles."

A firefly danced at the water's edge thinking no one was watching and said,
"I'm happy."
The lake swayed with the music too,
but its timing wasn't as perfect as the firefly's.
The dancer saw its wavering twin and thought,
"why do I try?"

A painter nearby sighed peacefully as he bent over his work.
The lake slid gently onto the rocky shore and back again with its own bubbling sigh.
The man threw down his brush and said to the lake,
"why are you making fun of me?"

So man and woman,
firefly,
Moon,
to the lake won't be returning soon.
While water waves and ripples on
to anyone who comes along.