Muddy water
from a swollen waterfall
the drain scarcely
keeps apace with the flow.
There are no fish in the pool
the kings of this realm
are water striders.
Gleaming black carapace,
long, tentacle-like mouthparts
as they literally
walk on water.
A feat only accomplished by
one human.
He walked on water through
divine intervention
or maybe some chakra focused into the feet
depends on what you read.
Water striders use good, old-fashioned
hydrophobicity coupled with surface tension.
Simple science, but compelling.
My boys and I watch them
skating across the pool
searching out mosquito larvae
enjoying a specific ecosystem
pondering the niche we witness
marveling at the small wonders
we don’t often enough stop and see.