Cows walked into the pond
slugging through the muddy edges
into the deeper middle
where their round bodies
floated, their hoofs no longer
touching bottom. They swam
towards the middle where trees
once clustered, the stumps still
protruding from the surface
reflected in the water,
sharp pencils marking
both water and clouds. There
cows clustered, daring
us children to throw dirt clods,
daring us enter the water
and slug towards their floating
bodies, daring us who didn’t know
to relax and merely float in water
over our heads, daring us
force them out. We yelled
our heads off until past milking
time, when father would have to come
and berate both cows and children.

-Melva Sue Priddy