Song of the Lake
You stand there,
your feet planted on the warm, summer grass.
You feel the humid air
that clings to your body tighter than a lover.
You observe the lake,
the way the sunlight dances upon the ripples;
a troupe of iridescent ballerinas.
You lean against a large yellow pine,
and while it doesn’t look too different from its northern cousins,
the tree is still distinctly Floridian.
You witness a white ibis, flying overhead.
To you, the bird is a phoenix
carrying the soul of the lake in its wings.
It lands, wading through the water.
And then… you hear it.
The pine, the cypress, the oak, the palm;
they sing a song you’ve heard your whole life.
You know the lyrics well.
They sing, “You are home, you are home.”
And you smile.
You let the breeze kiss your cheeks,
and let the trees serenade you,
and watch the water waltz.
Because you know this place will forever be a part of your soul.
You know that you are really home.
Liz Franzone is currently a junior at St. Leo University, where she is studying English with a minor in Creative Writing. Liz Franzone is a recent inductee for the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society on campus. She hails from Tarpon Springs Florida, and, whenever she’s not writing, she works with children at her local YMCA program, volunteers with an animal shelter, and participates with the St. Leo theater department’s plays and other productions. Upon graduating, Liz Franzone is planning on seeking out a professional career in writing and creating a series of graphic novels.