Skipping Stones

Skipping stones
Across the lake
Two- three- four- plop!
Small, round, flat, smooth
Cast them out!
Some go far
Some drop hard
Some skim the top layer of water
Bouncing, flying, gliding
PLOP!
Again and again
We search for the perfect stone
To toss, to skip
Competing against ourselves
And the last stone tossed.
Hunting for the next with purpose
Excited, hopeful when it’s found
Will it soar?
Skip more?
Go the distance?
We choose carefully
Aim intently
Casting the perfect
Casting the chosen
Out of our hands
Propelling it into the distance
Loosing
What we earnestly sought
Tossing
What we once had found
Holding nothing back
Two- three- four-five
PLOP!
We start the search again
Hoping-
The next one will skip more
Believing-
it will go the distance.
Praying-
it will stay a little longer above water
Before it sinks
Like a rock

CJB