Another
summer of drought
the Matta, Ni and
Po rivers come and go
signs noted along the highway
At the Rappahannock
I become aware how
devastating the absence
of rain has been
there is little evidence
a river ever ran through here, but
Somewhere
to the southeast the
Rappahannock
gathers its waters once again unto itself
becoming wide and deep –
slows to gain strength, then
quickens to reunite with the Chesapeake
Together they will flow to the sea.
Life was expectant with spring’s first bud rushed headlong into summer barely paused when Fall rescued us from languid August days. Winter nearing we must linger till morning light to pull on warm clothes slip past sleeping cats and out for our morning walk. No heron or Squirrel – only geese pass overhead, honking snow…
Tiny bird inside his breast pocket you are like the young three-footed buck and squirrel laying in the rain with a broken hip Science cannot heal all should we have left you to die? Young buck once jumped with a grace man never could squirrel – laughed with a zest unmatched How does your heart…
We drove home sated with gaiety, family, friends and food Beyond the traffic noise lay stifling heat and the silence that tolls the end of summer hundreds of miles rolled by town by city Out the window ‘Korean War Conflict’ hung from the license plate of a passing van I thought of the young couple…
Eagle flying in the air all alone, always there ever circling what do you see on the ground cold, dark, dank, brown circling, ever circling Over treetops, over farms lying fallow – is it flight keeps you alive? time long gone I’d lay watching as you worked the currents finally running in for the kill…
Against the antique oak rocker in the alcove leans a needlepoint begun decades ago (18th century American primitive re-created in my hand and style with woolen yarns and carefully selected stitches) Cart roads lead from the ‘big’ house, past out buildings and wild vines heavy with grapes (Norton?) – down at the river, a sailing…
Didn’t understand but listened built an ark loaded animals two by two Cold, wet smelly, nauseating crowded, stifling drifting, drifting day after day, two by two Rain stopped water receded everyone disembarked slowly life began again Seeds and flowers sun and rain nurturing and time to grow Two by two As we reach the shores…