I was born upon thy bank, river,
My blood flows in thy stream,
And thou meanderest forever
At the bottom of my dream
Henry David Thoreau,
Journals (1906), 1842 entry.
The face of the river, in time, became a wonderful book . . . which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it had uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.
Mark Twain,
Life on the Mississippi
Ran over stones;
My ears knew
An early joy.
And all the waters
Of all the streams
Sang in my veins
That summer day.
Theodore Roethke,
The Waking
The sea sings.
Oceans roar.
Tides rise
Who am I?
A small pebble on the grand shore;
Who am I?
To ask who I am.
Isn’t it enough to be?
Native American saying
and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you,
you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.
A. A. Milne,
Pooh's Little Instruction Book
and soaked my bruised psyche in wild water,
rivers remembered and rivers imagined.
Rivers course through my dreams,
rivers cold and fast,
rivers well-known and rivers nameless,
rivers that seem like ribbons of blue water twisting through wide valleys,
narrow rivers folded in layers of darkening shadows,
rivers that have eroded down deep into the mountain's belly,
sculpted the land,
peeled back the planet's history
exposing the texture of time itself.
Harry Middleton,
Rivers of Memory
Was half your glory sung;
And never skill of painter’s brush
Nor praise of poet’s tongue
Shall half reveal the majesty,
The charm, the primal grace
That clothe you and attend your ways
And shine from out your face.
Frederick Oakes Sylvester,
Principia College
28 comments:
Absolutely beautiful! peaceful photos accompanied by peaceful words. Thank you.
Lovely!
Lovely post!
Take me to the river
And wash me down
Won't you cleanse my soul
Put my feet on the ground
~Al Green
Good morning. I really enjoyed reading your river poems and seeing photos of the river in many moods.
Marnie
Beautiful photos, Morning Glories! The excerpts of poetry fit these peaceful shots so well. I'm not a poet, but I agree there's something very spiritual in watching the water flow down a river. Perhaps it is realizing that you are indeed "a small pebble on the grand shore."
Thank you Shy Songbird. I was afraid others might not understand--but it seems as though it came across. Have a wonderful, peaceful day.
Thank you, Marie. I have such deep feelings for the Mississippi (sorry about the pun). ;-)
Thanks Monica. There is just something about a river that makes one wax poetic! Yours was very fitting.
Hi Marnie. I think everytime I go home, it hits me how much I miss "The River". Growing up on the Mississippi has become a part of me.
Rose, I was feeling so nostalgic that day on the river as we watched the sun set. Sometimes only poetry can begin to express what one feels.
What a beautiful post.....stunning photographs enhanced by peaceful words......
I love to be near water....there is always something magical for me.....a sense of calm and peace.....
Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and your kind words. I have a son who lives and works in Hill Country, Austin. Been there many times, love it there. Yes I understand the meanings. Great post. Blessings
QMM
Hi Cheryl! The river is a magical peaceful place for me as well. I don't necessarily like to be in or on it, but I love to sit on the banks of a river and become part of it's ebb and flow.
Dear Queenmothermamaw,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your son lives in Cedar Park, doesn't he? Next visit we will have to get together. If you drive, you come right by my neighborhood to get to Cedar Park.
Continued prayers for Rachel's speedy recovery!
What beautiful pics and poems too. I also find the river or lakes peaceful and inviting. Oceans are my favourite, but their energy is different. Sometimes soothing, sometimes frightening.
Lovely post. Very soothing tonight. Just what I need.
Hugs
What a beautiful post and lovely photos to go with.
I loved all these pictures and their beautiful words to go along with them.
What a refreshing post. Simply lovely!
Thank you so for the encouraging comment upon my latest post. Whenever I open up the inner places in my heart I wonder if any other will see the value. You have blessed me so and encouraged me to continue to post obediently as the Lord calls.
Thanks again, sweet friend. : D
Beautiful photos with words to match. Thanks for an "ah" moment in my busy day.~~Dee
Dear Wendy,
I agree, oceans are a different energy altogether. Rivers are more soothing--as long as they aren't raging and escaping their banks!!
I hope your evening was peaceful, and that you and Hubby have a good weekend.
Hugs!
Jenny
Hello IGW! Thank you so much for the kind words.
Thank you Susie. I am glad you liked it. I found so much poetry that applied, it was hard to choose.
Dear Debbie in CA,
Thanks for your kind words.
I think whenever we have the courage to really open up and share, we are always amazed by the number of people it touches. I'm glad you have that courage.
Hugs,
Jenny
Hi Dee,
We all need an "Ah" moment during our busy days. I'm glad my post was it for you!
Have a great weekend!
Hi Jenny, what appropriate words to reach into the depths of the running water. Love the thoughts these bits of prose conjure. Thoreau is hard to beat.
Frances
Hi Frances,
Glad you enjoyed my pics and poetry...I'm not sure which is my favorite...Thoreau is great, but Winnie the Pooh is good too! ;-)
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for sharing the awesomeness of the water and sky and the calming poems. Beautiful!
Thanks, Sue. I do love the water, and miss it so much. Growing up on the Mississippi was special.
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