Summer Song by Mr. S

the sun is laughing
on the water
in the late afternoon
at the lake

where Papa and Mimi
are telling grandkids
stories that crack them up
big toothy corn cob grins

across the lake
someone’s stereo
overtakes the long lament
of a loon

and a bullfrog begins the first note
of an opera that will last
all night long, so Mimi
puts a ten dollar bounty on his head

the grandkids start the hunt
immediately with nets and
optimism and empty wallets
hoping to turn croak to cash

everyone is sunburned
and some have had their arms
stretched long from hanging on
to an inflatable tube while Papa drove the boat

ice cream melts
in impossible slow motion
and it will take forever to get dark
everything is perfect and tuned

like a fiddle
which will play our family song
and no one needs a camera
to remember all of this