1 March 2026

By Philip Kuepper

Sunlight flashed
off the oars’ blades
each time they were lifted
out of the water.
A rowing sonata was being composed,
and played, note by note:
Allegro-Adagio-Scherzo-Allegro
played the oars,
the flashes of sunlight not once
breaking the tempo.
At the Adagio the sunlight slowed.
At the Scherzo it became lively.
Oars, sunlight, rowers, all
were pure movement.
Their sonata set the water alight.
And in their wake, the sonata
hung in the air
playing a quiet echo of itself
to itself.

(19 February 2026)