Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Like a river flowing












dVerse
https://dversepoets.com/






  Columbia River  between Oregon and Washington States


Birthed in Canada,
pure drops of water,
crystal clear,
trickle from portals
in glacier-sided mountains,
filling secret streams
Emerging hastily to catch up with
her many tributaries
Like her children,
all join her as she mightily
travels through the emerald
Cascade mountain range,
quenching her land's thirsty throat

Home to Chinook salmon and
Indian spirit lakes mirroring the sky,
'tis where I hail from,
where I was raised by
her coolness bathing my mind,
instilling in my heart passion
for pristine waterfalls,
places named for legendary chiefs -
Multnomah, Sealth, and
Swinomish

It led Sacajawea
and Lewis & Clark on virgin trails
through tall timbers
along its route winding to the sea
Roll on, goes the song,
roll on Columbia,
roll on

She engages along the way,
ghosts of history
who inhabit her banks
Train tracks on either side,
gigantic dams constructed,
speak of energy supplied
to people living far and wide
Separated by heaven and earth,
she is the main artery,
churning sustenance
from darkness to dawn

She is the life blood, vein in some cases.
She journeys west, nourishing
as she creates bounty galore -
apple orchards, produce,
vinyards and wild huckleberries; from mussels and clams to cedar and fir boughs, from elegant elk
to wildflowers and forests.
The population writes, reads and paints her beauty
While continually,
she flows easily into
the wide sandy
mouth of the Pacific
ocean with
sighs of relief...

       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            




11 comments:

  1. Nice description the the Columbia River. Although I don't have any river like this in my past I can see how such a river could bathe one's mind.

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  2. What might a river can have, and so much history and power... a true lifeline.

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  3. A wonderful tribute to the life blood this great River has provided.So much to learn from in this story.

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  4. this gives a clear story of that river...wonderful!

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  5. A beautiful tribute to a river. I especially like "her coolness bathing my mind".

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  6. Such a vivid portrait and so different to our rather sleek and gentle rivers. I think it was your comment on my post that just pinged into oblivion while I was writing a reply to it. I'm sorry about that but I've no idea what happened, nor where it went!

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  7. WOW!!!!!!! This was a feast to read, with such gorgeous imagery. I love the place names, the path of Sacajawea, the journey. I have been to the Columbia and she is mighty indeed. I especially love the Indian spirit lakes mirroring the sky. Gorgeous.

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  8. p.s. Your photo is gorgeous. And is the house on your banner yours? right on the ocean? You are so lucky!!!! (I have just returned to Tofino after so many years of missing it, and am so grateful to be back.)

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    1. Sherry, thank you so much. Yes, it was a beautiful place to grow up. The house in the background is one ee owned on the Oregon coast years ago. So many memories from there. I'll bet Tofino is very special to you. :-)

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  9. I love your river Kathy ~ This is my favorite part:

    She is the life blood, vein in some cases.
    She journeys west, nourishing
    as she creates bounty galore -

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  10. she flows easily into the wide sandy
    mouth of the Pacific ocean with
    sighs of relief...

    Very true Kathy! One gets the feeling that (similar to humans) they are relieved to have reached their destinations after having gone through all the difficulties!

    Hank

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All comments, constructive and otherwise, are welcome and appreciated here. Thank you to those who show an interest in my quirky style of writing, photography, painting, and presenting a feeling or thought and for stopping by A Dwelling by the Sea..