River

bored eyes unfocused
staring out the car window
the guardrail floating
–
migrating geese-
an endless river
of taillights

the river of time
flows past this open window
and into my past
–
distant clouds-
a riverbed
of broken earth

quietly cracking-
gentle waves frozen within
the river’s surface
–
irrigation pond-
young skaters
scarves and gloves

filling the valley-
bright sunlight captured in the
autumn morning mist
–
slanted sunlight-
in the canyon
a river of fog

most of my life spent
standing by the water’s edge
never getting wet
–
ashen skies-
in a barrel of rain
my reflection

waiting for the sun-
sitting on a weathered dock
fishing rod in hand
–
fly fishing-
casting shadows
on the water

glowing in the dark
the distant lights, reflections
off Jamaica bay
–
twilight-
each firefly
tells a story

I may be different
but I am not a problem
that needs to be solved
–
fly fishing-
different clouds
under the same sky

pleading for my life-
attempting to atone for
the wrongs that I’ve done
–
morning dew-
my sins cast
upon the water

violent currents
slake their thirst with sailor’s lives
by the gates of hell
–
jagged ice-
ancient wrecks
litter the narrows