Joyous water dances between green banks,
catching and juggling the silver light
of a late summer day. Willow wands hang
trailing slender fingers in the stream.
Tails dusted with pollen, nectar - laden bees
hover in heavy air, each taking turns
to plunder cowslip, lavender, daisy.
A baronial heron stands, eye on the flow;
scorning minnow and perch to wait
for a more noble meal of trout or carp.
By green, secret depths, under jutting banks
water - vole and otter coddle the young
while on the filmy surface nymphs cavort
and a water boatman sculls to a fat stem.
Mallard and moorhen lead chick flotillas.
A fork - tailed swallow swoops and feasts
while dragon flies and damsel flies make haste
to fill up their few hours of precious life.

Magic runs in the young river. Mysteries
and eternal truths manifest in the flow
of water filtered through ancient stones
that witnessed the making and unmaking
of numberless lives. Like an enchanter
the process suspends time for moments
while we stand to watch the constant stream
that begins in regions not inhabited
by time. Far from our rushing, counting world
where meaningless measures govern all,
curtailing and constraining minds as they
struggle to break free of stifling knowledge,
to explore beyond logic and analysis.

Photo source Ian R Thorpe at Flickr