river – The Coming of the Toads

Moon River

The moon, our moon lit night
candle brooding sediment
embraces you in umbrage
through the trees down
to the waterline up from
the riverbank wandering
through the shallows
in motion with slow
crawling eddies around
emergent rocks and felled
trees this night a dropped
stitch in time’s throw,
that night we lost
an hour and more.

This Train

This train leaving the state
carries no saints.

No matter which way you face
all headed the same way.

The porter walks backwards
to the caboose, and as the train

slows to round a curve,
jumps.

She’ll take her chances improvising
in a real river.