Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The River



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



I came where the river

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


Rivers flow.

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




Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge

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




Many a time have I merely closed my eyes at the end of yet another troublesome day

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





O river, river, never yet
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:

ShySongbird said...

Absolutely beautiful! peaceful photos accompanied by peaceful words. Thank you.

Marie said...

Lovely!

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

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

Roses and Lilacs said...

Good morning. I really enjoyed reading your river poems and seeing photos of the river in many moods.
Marnie

Rose said...

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."

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Thank you Shy Songbird. I was afraid others might not understand--but it seems as though it came across. Have a wonderful, peaceful day.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Thank you, Marie. I have such deep feelings for the Mississippi (sorry about the pun). ;-)

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Thanks Monica. There is just something about a river that makes one wax poetic! Yours was very fitting.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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.

Cheryl said...

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.....

Anonymous said...

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

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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!

Wendy said...

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

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

What a beautiful post and lovely photos to go with.

Susie said...

I loved all these pictures and their beautiful words to go along with them.

Debbie in CA : ) said...

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

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos with words to match. Thanks for an "ah" moment in my busy day.~~Dee

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Hello IGW! Thank you so much for the kind words.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Thank you Susie. I am glad you liked it. I found so much poetry that applied, it was hard to choose.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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!

Anonymous said...

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

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

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.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Thanks for sharing the awesomeness of the water and sky and the calming poems. Beautiful!

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Thanks, Sue. I do love the water, and miss it so much. Growing up on the Mississippi was special.