Outpouring: Snake River Idaho

across the soft water of the river,
birds rise among brambled branches,
careful zippers tug against the dew coat.

day begins showing on an untouched peak,
everything in the light becomes colored.
fields speckled purple with lavender
greet the campsite with a wink.
harmless, having slept among the foxtails.

in the blue bend of the river rolls a log,
jumbled and bobbing, ends alternating,
knuckled on the steel rocks, spinning and gone,
leaving before anyone could name you.

mooring lines, neon and wet, zag up the shore.
notches of white light begin to skim the treetops,
onward each heave of the river
pulls down stronger, muscled in the current,
quaking force of the spring runoff,
river awoken.

sounding a constant roar as the lines cast off,
ties wound snap quick, the paddle cuts in,
undressing the waves admired at dawn.

valiant vessels careening the rapids,
waves break, eddying into the calm.
x-ing out the section on the map
yields a pause from all of us, respectfully.
zealous, the river warmed with energy drags us on.