Shades of Expedition

1.

rivers flow in two ways
from the mountain

off toward the sea
and back away from it

2.

from land to sea
you fight the current
gravity and the terrain

then you briskly
come out the other side

3.

once you come back
the sea is lost

behind it all

mountains --

protected

locked in

but also given

fresh water

somehow

tastes ancient

4.

flew around the world
and imagined crashing
straight into a mountain

water looked like veins
popping from the Earth's skin

waitress gave me food
that made me sick

I stared at the shadows
that the clouds made below

5.

a bird flew into the engine

and died

no-one was phased

I slept right on through
and woke in a different time