Skipping Stone Poem by Shannon Hughes

Wondering lonely
Around the lake
Glum reflection staring back
My foot hits a rock and
I look down to see a perfect
Skipping Stone
Memories of childhood flood
Back into my restless mind
And half a smile creeps across
My face
I pick up the smooth icy stone
My hood falls back
Revealing auburn braids
Now let’s see if I remember how…
My index finger grips the ridge with
A good grasp
I close my eyes and
Swing my arm
Releasing the
Skipping Stone
It sails through the
Air and makes contact with
The placid lake
Ripples exploding
And the Skipping Stone
Bounces along the smooth
Surface- four skips!
I laugh as I remember
The old days when I
Would go squealing
“Mom, I got four that time! ”
Auburn braids swing as
I hold up four chubby fingers
“Wow! ” Mom would say, “That’s super!
Try and beat your record now! ”
Try and beat your record now
I pick up another
Skipping Stone and
It sails through the air
Splash! One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Laughter burst forth
My auburn braids sway
To and fro
As I reach for another
Skipping Stone
To try and beat my record now