8/24/2004

I sat on the sand
looking at the lake
at the climbers
on the cliff face
at the woman
a white scarf
covering her head
skinning a stick
with a long knife
like the trick
was old hat
beneath big clouds
navigating blue sky
then
turned in time
to see
a black bear
had shuffled
out of the forest
onto the beach
no cause for alarm
room for everyone
I said
under my breath
reaching
for the camera
I nearly left behind
on my last day
in the high country
where the predictable
can be interrupted
at any time
by anything.