Oh, the Beautiful Rideau Canal
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The Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. These falls are the beginning of the canal, that turns into a placid waterway in time and winds its way through the city.
When I was a child, I fell into the rapids and was carried along and ended up close to the edge, where fishermen pulled me out. Still, I have always loved this beautiful place.
On summer, fall, winter and spring days, I roar over jagged rocks,
how people love to come and watch my crashing journey!
The story of my life began in 1831, that is when I was created,
humans made me, before I was just a trickle, now I am beautiful;
eagles soar above my mighty, crashing waves and ducks visit my pools.
Bike paths and walking paths through lush greenery flank my sides,
even strong fish swim beneath my tempest;
and in the trees birds nest and chirp and tweet all day.
until night quiets their constant songs.
To visit me at night is a thrilling experience as my mist embraces you.
In the winter, I have a special beauty of snow covered rocks and frozen waves.
From a dam, I have a fifteen foot drop into a gorge that winds and bends for miles,
under the blazing sun, rain and snow I am a dangerous surging torrent;
loud my cobalt blue water crashes on ancient rocks creating a white foam.
Really I was created to divert water to a long winding canal system, I am the beginning,
I hear the sounds of laughter and see the tourists watching my rapid flow;
do they realize that sometimes I have claimed a swimmer or a fisherman?
Even those who have tried to kayak my rapids have failed,
and their life's ended tragically . . .
Until recently people could come a sit on the rocks close to my roar.
Can you not see how dangerous I can be? It is the nature of me,
and once I held a girl with hair as soft as a spider web;
nudging her, I carried her to my bank and she was saved by fishermen.
Always she visits me, in summer, fall, winter and spring,
lulled by my roar, she says that I am beautiful and still she loves me . . .
___________________________________
June 15, 2016
Poetry/Acrostic/Personification/Oh, The Beautiful Rideau Canal
Copyright Protected, ID 16-800-671-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym.
For the contest, A Place Called Beautiful
sponsor, Janis Thompson
Second Place
Copyright © Constance La France | Year Posted 2016
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