River’s Edge

I went down to the river’s edge to pick some flowers,

to fill my head with leisure thoughts

and find a way that forget-me-nots

would live up to their name.

And there I found a hollow log

and dragonflies and a croaking frog

and, yes, delightful thoughts

that loosed my mind from blame.

There, I relaxed in the rushes,

there in the blades of grass and reeds,

I lost myself and found myself

and everything that I need.

All at once, I found it there,

all at once my way was clear;

the path, the truth, the harmony

in the songs of the birds

and the lyrics they sang for me.

I slept on the shore and dreamt of more

than I had ever known or ever thought

and what brought me to be there

on that sunny afternoon.

I didn’t want to awaken

or be shaken out of my trance

enhanced by that vision of you.

How true my sight was,

how wonderful that my being there

was to find you in my fantasies.

The wind stirred the current,

carried smells of flowers sweet,

the clouds circled my head

while the bees danced

and the water cooled my feet.

September 12, 2021