The Art of Skipping Stones

in-side
bertha sortiss
andres institute
brookline, nh

The Art of Skipping Stones

Birds know us as “the people of the feet.”

                                                                                Jim Harrison

                                                                                Old Bird Boy

How many skips your flat stone lives through

is determined by the curve

                of the earth

                of the elbow and wrist

                of the grip of the fingers and thumb

                of the confidence of the knee

                of the sweep of your timed release

               

of any number of things though mostly

the story goes

                of the weight of the choice

                of all the other choices

                of this particular stone

                of the toe against the foam

                of the hips        

                of the pelvis

                of the winding

                of the throw and

                of the letting go

and so

the first and then the second and so on

                of honing

                of momentum 

                of throw after throw

                of those lonely days

                of the water

                of it being odd in no way you know

                of it giving felicitation 

                of it taking and letting go of the stone

                of that skip again and again and again and again (and if you're lucky) again

of that stone who pulls the surface of the water up dripping and dripping

from the twist of her appeased earth and wave and palm pounded cheek.