By the hour, the day, the season
She changes
Hardly a warning
She is the boss
Molten liquid
Icy veneer
Seductively calm
Confused and intimidating
The Great Mother Lake, Superior
Seduces the soul, draws in the heart
Swimming in August
We turn our backs in December
The gales foreboding
Sharp spikes of moisture
Laden wind
Stinging skin, watering eyes
She calls, she beckons
Inky black oily water
Pushing up
Squeezing through the undulating
Misty frosty flows of ice
Peels of paper birch curls
Frozen in time
The pine trees fan her shores
Their arms wave a warning
To all who approach
This lake of many moods
Stand back
Step in
Be aware
She can partner or destroy
Support or crush
I choose, in gratitude
To cooperate and respect
To live and breathe
In her presence
Janet E. Hartwick Sterk
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