Worn Plank Spans the Creek

The footbridge over the creek behind the feed store has planks worn smooth in the middle. Boots and bicycle tires pass over them every day. One nail head rises slightly near the center. Riders lift their front wheels without thinking. Water below carries sticks and bits of foam from the culvert upstream. Ice forms around the pilings in winter but leaves a dark channel open. The wood creaks once under weight then quiets.