Poems twist & turn like rivers
flow smooth then forcibly
overflowing its banks
determined strong
even when still
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Wish you were here
watch sunrise onto the south rim
woke early first ones on the trail
hard to see the river
yet knowing it is there
with its twists & turns
through the canyon
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Alpenglow on stone walls
make new colors
shadows roll up the cliff face
brings out the song
of canyon wren
each note a twist then a turn
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Cut to the core of it
down to the base — the heart of it
was the water forming
then released never knowing
it would someday be a trickle
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We leaned towards home
like rivers —
where to bend
where to spill over
where to stop & pool
how to reflect
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Looking up towards the south rim
we could see people
were they looking down at us
so very small
in this vast canyon
riding the twists & turns
of the river
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Not all rivers run fast like this one
here in the canyon
you can tip go under
swim for your life
some rivers run slow—
take on the sun—
good to swim
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Row and row and row your boat
gently—
gently I say
down—
down the stream
merrily—
merrily—
what is life but a dream—
dream of a river
rowed midstream
gently—
gently—
life is a dream
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Sometimes we must portage
— take higher ground
— study terrain
while others go fast
straight over the waterfall
into the still blue waters below
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Sometimes
the waterfall is fatal
rips off the life jacket
takes me under
sometimes
the waterfall is thunderous
can’t hear myself think
sometimes
the waterfall is so moving
we stand for hours
to contemplate
to explanate
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Path of the river not straight
full of twists & turns
erosion and change
and it goes on catching light
as it goes
carves a new shore
creates sand and gorge
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We wanted to know more
about a name
how to the water it went
creeking
shaped its course
carried debris and treasures
fed ferns
listened for the return
even when dry & barren
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Who remembers
what we ate for dinner
in Poncho’s Kitchen?
tucked under a rock ledge
in the Grand Canyon—
fed by the crew who cooked
and carried our shit
back to the raft—
on we floated
knowing the biggest rapid
was in going forward
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Looking up
we could see the rim
both north and south
where the Navajo Bridge
connected sides in Marble Canyon
further along
the footbridge
where hikers can cross
from one side to another
Colorado River flowing below
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I want to write about
the weather—
how the rain came
and put the fire out
just when we thought it was hopeless
I want to write about the river—
how it moved volumes of water
beneath us
and carried us along
with its blessing
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I want to write about how the sun
comes up
lapping waters with its rays—
I want to write about
how in the predawn there is a mist
that clings
nothing can be seen on the shore
only the light that begins
to settle on that mist
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As a little girl I walked in the creek
to search for agate & salamanders
built curbside dams
when the rain came
mixed flower soup
my father never taught me to shoot
I feared his gun—
prayed he would never
turn it on me
like the defenseless jackrabbit
he killed one day for sport
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There is only so much to be said
about rivers and poetry
yet we keep writing
watch the words stumble
onto paper— ink flowing
some kind of meaning
comes out into the open
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“The moon shimmers in green water. White herons fly through the moonlight.” Li Po
There is always something more
to say about rivers—
how we step into its waters
sure of foot
fish flee then nibble at the feet
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“Light of unspeakable richness…”
John Muir
There is light in the NW
speakable gloom
someday I will endure it
I will winter over and count
the continual days of rain
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“To lovers of the wild, these mountains……” John Muir
Yes, England has mountains
you say & a legacy of poetry—
words that still toll through time
— more renowned for its poets
than its mountains
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There is sorrow for a state
that doesn’t have a mountain
oh Nebraska you flatland
we drove you all day
in a rain storm
you are plowed straight
yield much
feed many
but where are your mountains?
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We hiked Saddleback
Little Colorado in the Grand Canyon
dry even with water
Palo Duro Canyon trails
great day hikes out of campground
love the trails of Zion
so many slot canyons
yet to explore
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“Every trace of dimness had been washed from the sky; the mountains were dusted and wiped clean with clouds…..” John Muir
Oh Texas
you have your mountains
Palo Duro Canyon
second to this Grand Canyon
we hiked for days there
the wind stampeded over my tent
Mt Davis campground
where the acorn woodpecker
fed its babies
retreat to Indian Lodge
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Oh New York
you have your mountains
snow covered in winter
a black diamond marks your slopes
sound of snow on ski—
speed and skill
but no time to stop
on black diamond trail
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“Light of unspeakable richness….”
John Muir
I am trying to understand
how light falls on Alaska
how hours are gained in light
how hours are gained in darkness
and that one point where
there is always LIGHT
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Last April I climbed the staircase
of the Desert Watch Tower—
the way was narrow
I had to hold on
I made it to the top
with other tourists
I snapped some pics—
miles of canyon could be seen
and a storm coming in
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Today the sun shines—
castes shadows that fall
towards winter
tomatoes hurry to ripen
leaves brown
I pick cucumbers & peppers &
squash & eggplant to stir fry
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Each stanza was written on a postcard for August Postcard Poetry Festival – the postcard was an artist’s rendition of the Grand Canyon painted from the south rim called “Poetic Twists & Turns”. The artist is Serena Supplee.
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