A WEEK AFTER YET ANOTHER CYANOBACTERIA WATCH ON THE LAKE

by Carla Schwartz

Above: ongoing map of cyanobacteria watches and warnings in Lake Winnipesaukee and other New Hampshire Lakes. Cyanobacteria is a natural part of freshwater ecosystems. But under the right conditions, it can grow too much and cause harmful blooms. Those can produce toxins that are harmful to people, pets, and wildlife, causing symptoms that range from nausea and rashes to muscle paralysis. Ted Diers, the head of the water division at New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services, says people should use good judgment when swimming or letting their pets swim. “If you see an area that looks particularly gross, that has a lot of green stuff in the water, you know, you may not want to jump in the water right there,” he said. —NHPR, August 30, 2024

It’s been days since I’ve been here, where the weather is cooling, swum 
here, a dish left on the counter, encrusted with old breakfast. I step outside. 
The sun, bright. The wind bites my skin. It’s a strong wind with harsh gusts 
thrusting leaves, acorns a-scatter, but I suit up for the cool, tap on my music, 
and step out onto my paddle board to face what the lake presents: a disorganized 
wind, flags pointing where they shouldn’t—into the forecast direction rather 
than against. I paddle with and against the swirling wind. I can’t help think about 
Francine, the latest named storm, drawing its strength from the warm gulf waters
as I ignore the chill wind and slide off my board, leashed to my ankle, to swim. 
I take off against the current, waves wanting to turn my body, to go where I hadn’t 
intended, so every so often I check my bearings to unstray. You might think I swim 
for punishment, punishment for not working the booths for the vote, for not 
dragging people’s asses out to vote, for not acknowledging there’s this hurricane
mounting in the gulf, building toward crescendo tomorrow to crash the Louisiana 
shore, and there will be one more and another and another unless we temper 
the warm waters, but I continue on my swim, not punishment, but passion,
to stroke against the waves, to keep myself from swallowing what the climate 
has begun to spoil, to keep myself afloat.

Carla Schwartz’s poems have appeared in The Practicing Poet and in her collections Signs of Marriage, Mother, One More Thing, and Intimacy with the Wind. Learn more at  https://carlapoet.com, or on all social media @cb99videos.

NO ONE TOLD OLGA CARMONA HER FATHER DIED BEFORE THE WORLD CUP FINAL

by Carla Schwartz

And without knowing it I had my Star before the game started. I know you have given me the strength to achieve something unique. I know you've been watching me tonight and that you're proud of me. Rest in peace, papa

Olga Carmona scored the only goal in Spain's win over England in the Women's World Cup final... For each World Cup title, a star is added above the crest on a national team's jersey. —NPR, August 21, 2023

I had my star

I had my goal

 

I played my star

I am the goal

 

Olga, you won the game

but lost your pa

 

What

if you had known?

 

I had my star

the night before

 

the final day

of the final course

 

for my design degree

that 2 a.m. my sister called

 

to let me know

our mother    gone

 

That morning the teacher asked

why I even came to class

 

I had my star

I had my goal

 

I told myself

my mother would have

would have wanted me to

 

but my mother who was dead

wanted nothing   I won that goal

my focus soaked in grief

 

Olga will never know

Spain will never know

 

would she have achieved her goal

were she suffused with grief?

Prize-winning poet Carla Schwartz’s poems have been widely published, including in her collections Signs of Marriage, Mother, One More Thing, and Intimacy with the Wind. Learn more at  carlapoet.com, or wakewiththesun.blogspot.com or find her at (https://twitter.com/cb99videos), (https://youtube.com/cb99videos), or (https://instagram.com/cb99videos).