Michael Gessner

The Pond

On our way to the morning
run at the park, I take my dog,
Arnoldo—he is Italian—
by a pond. It is unavoidable,
surrounded by rich foliage,
one might say, florid,
and the surface of the pond
is as the locals say, glassy,
and Arnoldo, as he is a water dog
and trained to fetch ducks—
a most affectionate creature—
wants very much to plunge
into the water with the hope
of chasing the flitting dragonflies
over the surface, swim, or dive
deep, and play and play
until exhausted.

Below the surface—and it should
be noted here, it is a public pond—
lurk ten thousand things—
parasites, viruses, bacteria—
foreign organisms that may
cripple, wound, destroy,
and so I hold him off
not knowing if I have made
the better choice. After all,
his will—the life-force—
is urging and urging
him to go in, and in.

There is a decision to be made:
pull him away—walk on,
or let him go.
It is a public pond.

Michael Gessner has authored 16 books of poetry and prose, the latest is Nightshades, (2022). His most recent publications include Night Nurse at the  Emporium (JAMA), a review Of Hartford in Many Lights (Grayson), and a critical biographical sketch of Alexander Posey (Muscogee Creek, 1873-1908), in Poet's Poet (Spuyten Duyvil, 2025). Forthcoming poems this year will be included in: The Wallace Stevens Journal, The Paterson Literary Review, and North American Review.