•
rounding a bend
brushing through waist-high fern
I crest a knoll and stop
mesmerized
awash in the warm brushstrokes of evening
filtered through this woodland realm
as the waning sun paints the world golden
below me
a pristine ribbon of silver-blue water
flecked with sunlight
sparkles like a strand of gems
transfixed
I marvel at the beauty
at the power
of this mighty river
as it tumbles in timeless clarity
over boulder and falls
ever onward
its lyric voice
beckons me
I come
entranced
stand immersed in its energy
captivated by its duet with the wind
that plays the boughs of the towering pines
singing down the lofty climbs
to gently brush my face
toss my hair
and dance past me round a bend
in perfect harmony
serenaded in this evensong
sunset has melted into moonrise
the waters ripple sterling in soft applause
the moon sets aglow this splendid concert
so I listen
spellbound
• • •
rob kistner © 2010
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• photographs taken near my home in the Cascade Mountain foothills
top photo entitled: “Sunlight on the Clackamas”
bottom photo entitled: “Moon over the Santiam”
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