A Drifting Leaf Boat

A broad, dried sycamore leaf was resting upside down near the rim of the low stone basin. I stepped forward with steady, unhurried care. Reaching out with both front hooves, I gave the brittle stem a patient nudge until the leaf slid over the damp edge and dropped into the shallow rainwater. It bobbed twice, then floated flat like a tiny boat. A small brown beetle was clinging to the tip, riding along as the water gently rippled. I stayed quietly at the rim, watching it drift from one mossy side to the other.