August 18- August 22 Week 24/72
tales regaled of Hermes descending angrily
from Olympus, throwing the nymph Chelone
into the water along with her dwelling place
changing her into a tortoise whose house
was forever carried on her back
standing at the edge of the lake, Chelone glabra
tall, green, sturdy stems ending in
spikes of compacted white flowers
resembling tight lipped turtle heads
here and there some have opened
whispering sweet nothings to passing bees
enticing one whose body disappears before my eyes
seemingly swallowed whole, an apparent victim
of a small, carnivorous, white Audrey II until
methodically a black head then fuzzy body emerge
a momentary pause and then off it flies
out over the dark water