-for baby r, con mucho amor
Of what profound essence speaks
this River, this River as long as the Nile,
as strong as the Amazon,
as nourishing of the spirit and its vulnerabilities
as the Ganges?
Of what hidden truth speaks
this River, this River as serene as the Connecticut,
as bustling as the Mississippi,
as important to collective survival
as the Colorado?
Will this River be expressed through the delicate purr
of a half-babbling brook, restrained in action
if not intention?
Will this River be expressed through the thunderous roar
of a giddy stream careening toward cascades,
growing ever stronger as its course nears completion?
Beloved glaciers melted
to bring about this River, his fearless journey
to transcend the bounds of time and space
filled with the pebbles of caring friends,
speckled with the darting fish
of cute clothes and hip gear,
your mother’s x-ray gaze
peering into the sparkling mirror
of that most essential River
and seeing her deepest truths
reflected right back.
