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Where Rivers Lazily Roam

"The streams are my veins." --Constance La France
Along the shores of the Ohio, I now call my home My heart rests in its origins, for there I was born Where New River and Gauley River lazily roam, Making the old Kanawha, from which I was torn. These “streams are my veins,” I will never scorn Adventure-seething rivers ever “white with foam”* Old and slow-moving, rich in beauty ne’er shorn Along the shores of the Ohio, I now call my home. The Kanawha flows into the mighty Ohio a-foam Meandering through mountains time has worn Where, as a boy, I photographed in Kodachrome My heart rests in its origins, for there I was born. Along shores of the New River, I played my horn Seems music was always a part of my genome, The languid rivers, with slow jazz I could adorn, Where New River and Gauley River lazily roam. These rivers cut through the rich fertile loam Of my breadth and being, now aged, careworn I have the mountain rivers’ motivating syndrome Making the old Kanawha from which I was torn. Running through my veins, melancholia forlorn Surely embedded in my genetic chromosome, Fed by the rolling rivers on a December morn, Living by the mighty Ohio, I play my trombone Along the shores.
Written August 1, 2022 *Quote from Irving Berlin's "God Bless America"

Copyright © | Year Posted 2022




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Date: 8/2/2022 1:31:00 PM
The musician has come out in full force - you cannot stay in the closet now " Along shores of the New River, I played my horn Seems music was always a part of my genome, The languid rivers, with slow jazz I could adorn, Where New River and Gauley River lazily roam." WOW!
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L Milton Hankins
Date: 8/2/2022 2:06:00 PM
Not a singer, though!
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L Milton Hankins
Date: 8/2/2022 2:05:00 PM
I'm so happy this piece resonated (just love that overworked word) with you, Caren. Actually, I played trumpet (cornet) and clarinet, although I can play most anything I get my hands on. I'm a keyboard person mostly. I really had fun writing this one, and I thank Constance for the inspiration.
Date: 8/1/2022 7:42:00 PM
Thank you for allowing us to to know a part of yourself.
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L Milton Hankins
Date: 8/1/2022 8:22:00 PM
Thank you, Les. I'm so pleased you enjoyed my poem enough to leave a comment.

Book: Reflection on the Important Things