Lost In Thought Along The River

Each day I walk along the river
To see what nature will deliver
Not knowing what will be the offer
Birds of all kinds bob on the water
Ducks and geese paddling like crazy
Or sometimes incredibly lazy

Seagulls with arial maneuvers
Suddenly drop and seem to hover
The black cormorant stands on a rock
He is alone, not part of a flock
In warm sunlight with his wings spread wide
Or floating, he dives down deep to hide

Sometimes starring in the murky hue
A giant catfish comes into view
Somedays the water is moving so fast
Others feel like the supply won’t last
Pigeons congregate on slanted slate
Raptors soar, looking to fill their plate

Which reminds me of an afternoon
Kayaking and watching a lone loon
Herons fly, ancient birds lost in time
Nature seems to follow its own rhyme
Bogs painted in yellow, green and blues
The falling of the sun casts strange hues

Gliding under the low hanging trees
Refreshed by the late afternoon breeze
Your smile says that anything can be
It's true I’ve seen diamonds on the sea
Eyes on today’s path, a slow exhale
My thoughts wander along an old trail

Yesterday was a wonderful day
All of my clouds just floated away
Blue sky, a distant curtain of haze
Climbing, a brief scramble, a steep maze
Stopping only to admire the view
Or hello to a hiker or two

Onward, finally reaching the ridge
Exposed on this spectacular bridge
Looking upward wishing to explore
Hawks, ride thermals, effortless, they soar
It’s easy for masters of the sky
Grounded, stretched out on the rocks we lie

If I had the skill using my will
To stop the earth, for time to stand still
Its getting late, its time to descend
Maybe, hoping, the day will not end
We Reached the bottom, all I can say
Yesterday was a wonderful day

Wandering through the old memories
There are always new discoveries
Some can bring careful contemplation
While others only cause stagnation
I don’t want to get stuck on this point
Really, life is a fantastic joint


David Gray