Page 7 - Contrast1964Spring

SUMMER'S PATH TO THE LAKE

The path began through a break in a crumb-
ling stone wall, dipped for a yard down a
steep slope, and lost itself in the tall grass
of a field whose principal crop was Queen
:Anne's lace and black-eyed Susans. Beneath
the taller stalks, in the shade near the cool
earth, hid Indian paintbrush and a bloated
plant with white paper flowers. Summer hot,
the sun broke the spell of drifting clouds and
drenched the ai r with warmth. Near the edge
of a distant road day lilies burned gold and
amber in the shimmering heat. 'An occasional
bent or broken stem marked a trail where the
path led to another wall and the field beyond.
Srnal l vshrubs marked this field, and moisture
oozed from the damp spongy soil, giving a
heaviness to the already heat-laden air. Only
the faint wind stirred, sliding through the
grass and lending low sound as well as motion
to the noontime scene.

The grass stopped abruptly by a leaf-
stained rock, and the path entered the shade
of a wooded slope. Cool and aching silence
cut the tie of summer warmth. Green ferns
were under foot and greener leaves hid the
sky, breaking the light that reached the ground
into a myriad tiny suns that -gave no heat. The
path skipped moss- grown rocks and a gravel
bank to the water's edge. Green leaves bent
to touch the waves. Hovering above a leaf, a
dragonfly inspected life. Over the water the
yellow sun was strong again, but its heat,
leaping from the smooth-faced waves, was
mixed with the crystal coolness of the lake.
Only the slush of waves on stones broke the
silence.

Nancy Ann Mengel

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