3.11.2009

Raven and River

Raven
knowing
swoops out of winter into spring,
circling, circling.
He gurgles and burbles,
like a river flowing.
R-r-rawk, r-r-awk quiver
Wake the sleeping River.

Red Squirrel
listening
skitters up the highest spruce.
She searches this way, that way, back again.
Bright eyes sparkle,
like a river shining.
Chit-chit, shimmer
Wake the sleeping River.

Ruffed Grouse
strutting
rearranges his feathers.
He beats his wings
like a river humming .
Thum thum thither
Wake the sleeping River.

Wolf
rising
climbs out of her own sleep
up the steep cliff.
She raises her head and howls, then takes off,
like a river running.
Yowl-yowl shiver
Wake the sleeping River.

Snowshoe Hare
twitching
leaps to the air.
In two-color coat,
she bounds over familiar paths,
like a river dancing.
Run-run hither
Wake the sleeping River.

Bear
yawning
gets up from dreams of fish.
Big-pawed and groggy,
he enters the light,
like a river turning.
Slap-flap dither
Wake the sleeping River.

Beaver waiting is not surprised.
For in his old winter lodge he feels the ice begin to shift, like a river moving.
Crick-crack sliver
The River The River

Raven circles and circles and circles

R-r-rawk, R-r-rawk quiver
Chit-chit shimmer
Thum-thum thither
Yowl-yowl shiver
Run-run hither
Slap-flap dither
Crick-crack sliver
Circle for the Giver
The River The River

River squints through eyes of ice.
She stretches and stretches and stretches,
waking up
breaking up.

R-r-rawk, R-r-rawk quiver

The River
shimmers for red squirrel,
hums with ruffed grouse,
runs after wolf,
and dances with snowshow hare.

River turns over with fish for bear
and moves in a new home for beaver.

And Raven-
Raven dips and soars
dips and soars
cutting the bright blue cloth of a sky
tumbling
flying
swooping
crying.

Together
Raven and River
gurgle and burble and roll their r's
R-r-rawk, r-r-rawk, quiver
Circle for the Giver
R-r-rip Raven R-r-rip River
Rippling rippling rippling

Raven flying
Raven flowing
Free.

By Nancy White Carlstrom, 1997

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