Poet's Corner

Another weekend, another river cleanup. Shortly, I'll be leaving for Toledo to take part in "Clean Your Streams" day, sponsored by the Maumee/RAP, an interagency river protection group. I'll be pitching in to clean a section of the Ottawa river running across the U of Toledo campus. A few of my students have said they'll come. The outing won't be nearly as scenic as that a week ago on the Au Sable, but it will be nice to make a difference where I work everyday.

I'll have a report tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll share a poem I read yesterday which I liked very much.

River Ghazal #5, by Michael Delp

Think of your life as wind through a doorway.

Whenever you can, trade the bank for the river,
the sky for the bird, your skin for pure light.

Fuel your heart with single caresses, glances,
the sudden vision of your life gone feral.

Go to anyplace where there are more rivers than roads;
trade your flesh for any moving water.

Think of your life as a trigger, death in the target,
something blazing inside your chest.