Common Mergansers

Common Mergansers

The river awakens.  Her belly hungry,

she swallows the ice floes

and gurgles with melt.

The wind whirls a dance

with stray leaves left behind

by runaway snow.

Wild ducks, the mergansers

fly low, arrow-straight,

splash in and float.

The sleek divers call out

in harsh notes, like the twangs

of guitar,  songs of fishing

in spring.

 

Words and photos are copyright ©Carol Steel.

Visit to the River

Yesterday, we went to the Shediac River to visit

my sister and brother-in-law. 

The river was full, geese were flying overhead

and a cool fall breeze was shaking the trees.

We enjoyed the day, the company, the weather but

it was cool enough that Mum needed to wrap up

to keep warm.

Even though the sky was blue and the leaves were still green,

there were tinges of orange.

It was a lovely day by the river.

Photos and words are copyright Carol Steel.

Tidal Fog

Fog hangs.
A sliver of lights
winks and shines
above the surface of the river.

The tide comes in.
The mist grows,
sinks to the river and rises
creeping over the marsh.
The city disappears.

Swallowed by fog,
my world ends--
at the bottom
of the street.

And later
presents itself
like a magician's trick.

Photo is mine.

Shediac River, New Brunswick

At the Shediac River, Saturday's breezes and the bright sun

created intriguing changes on the river.

The wind wrinkled the river; nothing reflected

in the pulsing ripples except the sunlight.

                 Later, the wind settled and

                   the sun's angle changed;

                      the Shediac River 

                        became like glass.

Sometimes life is like the river, full of hot air and waves, throwing off the flow of your day.

At others, the day is so smooth; all you need do is look,

to really see what is reflected clear and bright, back to you.

And sometimes, what is reflected back to you is crisper

and more in focus than what

you thought you saw

and understood before.

All photos are mine.

Gather at the River

                                            A gorgeous spring day at the river.

Birds are singing and flowers are blooming.

The trees are free of snow.

The earth is warming.

The woods are waking.

The river is free again.

Ah!  Spring...