River

     Stumbling over a beaten, root-infested path, I listen to the calls of singing birds, imagining the conversations they seem to be having. After a while, I notice something; it is a new sound that seems to weave itself into the birds' song. The noise is rushing water, and the smell of fresh fish is on the gentle breeze. Curious, I break from the path and start to climb over the cool, green mossy boulders. As I climb over the stones, the birds silence themselves and make room for the sound of rushing waves, powerful and demanding. After several minutes pass, the sound seems to change, mocking me instead of calling me. It's a drive now; I have to get to the noise, find the source of its raw power.

     Eventually, through the thick tree trunks, I can see slivers of white and blue. The urge is overwhelming, and I'm almost tripping to get to the enchanter whose spell pulls me closer. Finally, I break through the forest and find what I was looking for, a river. The waterway is a huge snake full of coursing currents, bringing the otherwise still water to life. Rocks beneath the clear water of the shore line are jewels that glisten coolly in the sunlight. There are boulders here and there that break the skin of the water, sticking out like bone fragments. The rocks are dry in places so I step onto a particularly big one close to me, careful of the pooling water in the pocket beneath it. The rapids gush yards away from me, their roar blocking out even my thoughts. A sweet breath of river mist caresses my skin, gentle as a mother's touch. The blue water changes colors in some random places, changing from yellow to white, and then back to various shades of blue again. The water moves in strange patterns but always seems to know what it's doing. Strong and permanent, this wild beauty has been here long before I ever came around and will be here for many years to come.