The Old Pool

We were scrambling down the hill through brush and dense growth, amidst the tall poplars and oaks, until we paused: an ancient swimming pool emerged before us. Stone apron and interior, leading to a dam that let the flow spill over and down a stream to the big creek below. The canopy of tall trees shaded this little paradise from the hot sun. Entropy is having its way with this long abandoned luxury as lily pads and moss carpet every surface. The stones have shifted and the dirt and roots are breaking through into the pool. Frogs and carp have taken up residence in the dark water. I imagine bathing parties long ago with men and women in their modest, body-covering attire and children running around, splashing and tossing balls. The symphony of birds: cardinals, thrush, cat birds, blue jays--all compliment this quiet oasis. It now rests from the human-designed purpose of retreat. Now it is simply a home for everything that lives there, but without that happy family that once prospered enough to build such an extravagance.  They are gone. Their estate, up on the land near the cemetery, long partitioned off and sold. This part, at least, is free to return to its former place in the world.