The River

Cracks of corral emerged between the Earth’s proud crown of evergreen Gleaming down on grateful Father whose arms in bloom embraced his Daughter Moon upon Moon in prayer he spent that God would grant his heart’s content Now all his dreams no longer dreams but infant in his arms serene They traveled on til trails converged and River’s roar ahead was heard Then there upon the shore was laid, a bless’ed barge of birchbark made. From the River’s roots they rowed, embarking on a fate unknown Wide-eyed Child soothed by Father’s song amidst echoes of the Wild’s call Sweetly metered by sweeping oar he told her tales of life before The great divide of Earth and Sky, of Land and Sea, of Day and Night How God by grace named each creature each fish and fowl each fir and fur Then in His hands mixed clay and sand, the gift of life breathed into Man. Between each bend dear Daughter grew and saw the world from worn canoe Floating onward until the day she traded hums and howls to say Father, Father, I understand! With lamb and wolf we share this land! How scattered seed grew into tree and tree we carved for pole to feed Father you’ve grown and given me your faith and love so I might be Someday just like you a Giver on the road of life, the River!