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| Snake River, USA |
River
There is no journey like that of the river
beginning in the clouds & formed into rain
Flowing from mountains through valleys
across plains and under bridges mid-town.
Wider ever wider the river flows
carries old tires and lose branches,
discarded cans and bottles, carcasses of dead,
memories one wants to forget,
all hidden within, all part of the stream,
mixed with soil and sand,
out to the sea which accepts all,
keeps its secrets
and asks no questions
and never will.
This is written for Poets United Midweek Motif, where Sumana prompted us to write about "river."
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You have written a beautiful poem retracing a river's meandering journey. My favorite part is the first stanza as it is both very poetic and particularly evocative. Well-done!
ReplyDeleteWow, Mary! Vivid, more and more vivid as it gets wider, this river hides our sins and garbage, keeps our secrets--it's a dream of a river. And maybe this river poem will get us to ask the hard questions the sea cannot put into words.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like this Mary. Nice, the way you mix old tires, branches with our own old memories. The river can keep secrets. How wonderful. Enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteFrom the clouds to the streams to the rivers to the ocean - so like this progression, just like the river travels its way from beginning to end and then back to the beginning. Excellent write.
ReplyDeleteThe river asks no questions for we should do that ourselves for when we look at a river it is our reflection we see.
ReplyDeleteWe all need that big ocean that will be totally accepting of our old tyres and broken branches...great metaphors!
ReplyDeleteThe first stanza is lovely the story of the river's creation. It is sad the twist in the journey. We need to keep our rivers clean of impurities if that is possible.
ReplyDeletesome nice poetic facets stream along in the river
ReplyDeletemuch love...
wish we could give more life to rivers than those discarded waste products..sigh...
ReplyDeleteAh yes.. the river which flows throughout carries deep dark secrets without question.. such a wise poem. Beautifully penned :)
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sanaa
Rivers have a lot of secrets best left to themselves. They be left alone to help solve our problems! Man has great expectations!
ReplyDeleteHank
For some strange reason this made me think of a washing machine cycle where at first everything is a soup of water and grey but when finished there is some order - all things flowing to their natural course!
ReplyDeleteWish I could find some gold and not tires hidden within a river haha
ReplyDeleteThe river is a great example of a journey. As you put it:
ReplyDeletediscarded cans and bottles, carcasses of dead,
memories one wants to forget,
all hidden within, all part of the stream,
Rightfully said, Mary! thanks for the comment on my post.
"There is no journey like that of the river" - perfect, Mary. So beautiful, to picture it through your words.
ReplyDeleteWow! One of your best! I loved it!!!!
ReplyDelete"beginning in the clouds & formed into rain"
ReplyDeleteThat is really lovely, Mary!
You've told the life of a river. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI like this very much Mary--never thought about the full life of a river like this. There is so much in a river! And thank you for posting my river poem as well!
ReplyDeleteWhat a journey! You made us traverse the length of river and explore its romance so articulately! Very beautiful ....though there is a dark, almost foreboding reality facing most of the rivers today. Sigh!
ReplyDeleteGreat piece...Mary!
Nature's grand scheme for where fresh water returns to its source done up lovely, but I wonder about the sea--as polluted & heated up as it has/is becoming, I wonder if it will continue to not question us, & not take action with typhoon, hurricanes & flooding?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you've captured the essence of the river's mystery here. Great lines.
ReplyDeleteMary
ReplyDeleteThe shape and sound of your poem both give me the river in your mind. Wide, meandering, silent, accepting.
And the image, stunning!
A poem full of understanding and acceptance – lovely moods of your river.
ReplyDeleteI like the juxtaposition of actual river and river of memory.
ReplyDeleteI like so much that you have included the filth an dirt as well. All the river can accept and carry out to sea, like those thoughts we might prefer to forget.
ReplyDeleteLovely word-painting, Mary. I enjoyed your images and the way the river flowing alluded to our life, with death taking the secrets of many people as they reach their end.
ReplyDeleteWonderful extended metaphor of a life passage ... with such evocative lines woven throughout the piece.
ReplyDelete