in a dream of now
or perhaps another time
there were people
standing round the smoothest lake
not an imperfection to spoil
the sight of their reflection

then boy picked up a stone
and threw it to the water
and one would expect
a shattered surface like a mirror
hitting the floor

instead a ripple moved
centre to edge and back
again and again and again

‘my face! I cannot see my face!’

the cry went round like a chorus
disturbed and disrupted
till one spoke forth before the others

‘let us throw in another stone
to cancel the first out…’

it made sense and the stone was thrown
but perhaps it was too big
or perhaps it was too late
it’s ripple was larger than the first
and together they became greater

each one picked up stones larger
throwing them in one by one
to calm the tempestuous sea
while every wave grew greater than the first

then came the cleansing flood
one wave larger than all the rest
greater than the sum of all its parts
and it washed them all away
like they were never there at all

when they were gone
stillness reigned
and peace
and glass returned to the waters.