Poetry: "pond"

pond

Sophie Benhke, Class of 2027

a tree with no branches

sits at an incline

dipped in marsh and moss

no waves pull at its roots

nightingales or sirens

float from blurred stars

rippling through a seaweed canopy

and over eyes murky with storm

their muffled songs

of fireflies ask what if

the view from the treetops

looks just the same from under

this still green water

Judge's Notes:

“This poem is a lovely meditation on nature and existence. The use of sirens evokes both the seductive singers of mythology and a rescue vehicle. The poet understands the power of a word. Read the poem aloud and savor its music.”