The Katie and Jenni Rivers

Many, many years ago in the early morning haze,
The mists of time were rising from the Ancient Lake of Days.
Behind the Heartbreak Mountains and the Vale of Deep Despairs,
Beyond the Swamp of Sorrows and the Cliff of No One Cares...
From somewhere in that distance came a thunder like the moan
Of the empty breaking heart of one who goes through life alone--.
The cry of one who knew no joy, no gaiety, no mirth
An anguished, angry, seismic cry--the cry, the cry of earth.
For earth was still and brooding then, its surface stern and dark
A blight among the oceans, and the ancients called it Mark.
Its continents were question marks, a blemish on the seas
Eroded ragged mountain ranges, swamps and shrubs and trees
And thus the empty rhythms of earth's early years did start
To the strained and empty beating of a pained and empty heart.
And all the while, all lonely too, observing from on high,
The sweet and gentle presence of the sweet and gentle sky.
Its stars by night, its sun by day, its clouds coquette and coy,
Enthusiastic, loving, and the ancients called it Joy.
And joy indeed it brought to earth who raised a wondering eye
And trembling, felt an earthquake pass and fell in love with sky.
And Mark, the earth, on Joy the sky a crescent love moon pinned
And through the gentle breezes blew her kisses in the wind.
And diamonds bright that sparkle, round her neck at night he placed.
Betrothed to wed as on the far horizon they embraced.

And so, and so, they lived and breathed and longed for nothing more
But that the days that were to come would be as those before.
And from that happy marriage as the time mists drifted by
There flowed two gentle river daughters, born to earth and sky.

The older was a river from the highlands far above
Where the waters are the sweetest by the spring that's known as love.
The little naiads shyly singing flew away and hid.
"Who loved the forests most?" they sang. "Oh Katie, katydid."
Oh sweet she was, a river, with her long and flowing hair.
She flowed away from all the little boys without a care,
Behind the Sweetheart Mountains and the Vale of Little Dolls,
Beyond the Swamps of Sunlight and the Carefree Waterfalls.

The younger was a river from the valley deep and still
She spun a silver thread that wound through meadow and through hill.
A river sprite who saw her, pretty river, weaving by
Fell fast in love and as she passed above she heard him cry,
"Oh, Jenni, spinning Jenni, won't you stay awhile with me?
Sweet river, let my heart be where you weave your tapestry.
Oh stay and let me love you, let me linger at the source."
But Jenni was a river, and a river runs its course.
She laughed and flowed away and where she ran to no one knows--
A river, like a heart in love, so often overflows.

***

The poet says that all the rivers run into the sea
But I have known you, rivers, and it always seems to me
That rivers only run wherever rivers want to go
And seas, like sprites and little boys, must hope and wait, and so
Just know that as you live your life in valley and in hill
I love you, gentle rivers, and I always, always will.