The river-pond
Bears a multitude of ducks,
Bobbing on silver
Tag: river
-
-
beyond lawns
phalaris spears guard water,
seed-heads ready -
The railway
Pools between platforms — attracts
Birds and dragonflies -
Frogs chant, "bi-ba-bou!"
Among slow, reedy pools:
Sequins, on water. -
The willow wandered, drifting on the stream.
A bough, torn from the trunk and tossed away;
By tempest cast at bridge and dam and beam.
Small wonder that it sought a place to stay.A stretch of slowing water, green and still,
With rocks enough to grasp ’til roots could grow.
Clean air, clear light — of each enough to fill
All worldly need a willow tree could know.In time, a track; and then, a gravel road;
The prints of feet too fast for trees to see;
An axe, too swift to feel. Young seeds, un-sowed.
Then flame and ash, to set the water free.The trees, too bold to learn the land they took,
Had boldly, blindly, grown to choke the brook.