A Picture In My Mind

 I wrote this for an Oregon Rivers anthology, and it got published! It's modeled after the rivers of southern Oregon.

I stand next to the river and watch it flow.

It’s a ribbon of liquid ice, winding its way down the path, pulling the crystal light from the sky and twisting it out into clear blue silk. It’s an ever-growing source of life, wide and deep in some parts and snaking through forests in others. It winds in and out of the trees, cutting little ripples as it bounces over stones, spilling down the occasional waterfall.

My feet are bare and sink into the spongy moss riverbed. I dip my hand into the water and cup the clear brilliance in my palm before letting it spill through my fingers. The sun created little sparkles, like tiny jewels, reflected from the water. They’re so dazzling, so abstract.

The river is a bed of gems, each sparkling with their own design and color. I can spot the deep tones of cobalt, layered underneath sky blue, emerald, and crystal white. Instead of being separate, though, they are blended together like only the richest of paints, illustrating a beautiful portrait. The mountains peek up in the background; tall, majestic giants overlooking everything, dusted with snow. I know that the snow will soon melt and flow down the great hillside, eventually merging with this grand body of water, giving us the sweet water we have now. It’s icy cold, but clear, letting the sunlight illuminate the bottom.

What seems like fathoms below, nature lies. Microscopic bugs dart near the surface, basking in the sunlight, nibbling on bits of plants. Small turtles and snakes lurk on the riverbed, lying in a shallow pool, well hidden away. Further out, salmon swim fiercely on, only stopping for the most urgent matters. Like stoic soldiers, they brave the current, determined to reach their destination in time. River otters, a rare treat, frolic beneath the waves, coming up to rest on shore after their fun has ended for the day.

I sit out on the bank for a long time. Far ahead, the river stretches out to embrace the land, and behind me it is just a creek through the forest. In my cutoff jeans, streaked with mud from clambering over rocks to get here, I sit on a flat stone and wait, staring off into the distance.

Eventually, the sun dips behind the mountains, letting off spectacular rays of golden orange as it sinks. Birds fly over the water, silhouetted in the light. With the absence of wind, I can see fish jumping, creating little splashes here and there. The trees are harder to make out now, just bundles of pine blanketing the hills. An owl hoots behind me, and I feel a sudden chill as darkness sets in.

“Honey, are you out here?” It’s my mother, her silhouette stepping carefully over the rocks to get to me. “It’s time to come in. It’s getting dark.”

I smile and look out over the river.

“Just a minute.”

~I was going to call it The River Song, but it has no relevance whatsoever, soooo...~