The river writes her name

May 24, 2009 by davidearle 5 Comments

The river writes her name in the land
Claiming her course across the plains;
Uncooperative and temperamental
Opposing all efforts to conform.

“We tried shoring up the banks with
some old cars a few
years ago — didn’t work too well,

We’ve had two 50-year floods this
year alone, you know … “

The river tears the rotting metal from her banks
Resisting constraint and throwing jagged
waste to sandy shore where feet bleed out;
She spills where she meets resistance
Recreating her name from mountain to sea.

© 2009, David Earle.