The heat was getting to them

S: Says here 100 years ago this mountain blew its top. 3oo years before that they think there was another volcano.

T: That’s nice. The freezer needs more frozen pops

S: Native Americans musta thought it was the end of the world

T: It’s disgusting in here. You sure the air conditioning is working?

S: I’m pretty sure. I bet they didn’t know their mountain had such secrets.

T: Huh? I don’t remember Shasta last year feeling like this. At least you could swim in those lakes. These sulfur springs you dip a toe in you gotta be airlifted out of the park

S: The lakes were swimmable back then

T: Back when?

S: 400 years ago

T: I’m talking about now OMG–

S: Or maybe this lake wasn’t here at all at that time–

T: And you’re still not listening

S: Honey, God gave us these lakes. Don’t you see?

T: Why would God give us lakes you can’t even swim in?

S: There are cold lakes here.

T: If you don’t mind a little alpine frostbite, sure. You can’t win with this Park.

T: I’m pretty sure God left this place behind a long time ago. And so should we.

 

A Mystery I’ve Yet to Solve (poem)

Why do we find ourselves staring at waterfalls as often as we do?

Television

that great timesuck

I can understand

something unfolds

a story

one that’s logical

and linear

but a massive shower cooked up by mother nature

with neither a beginning nor an end?

I’d be hard-pressed to explain the appeal

and yet every other year

over the last twelve

I’ve driven an hour and a half to the very top of a falls

in Mt Shasta

in order to pop out, look down

and then drive all the way back to the warm, dry home

I’ve made with my wife.