v Song of the Riparian Zone
Come iris, come moor grass, come sphagnum and sedge,
come water mint growing round the beaver-lawn’s edge;
come aspen, come willow, come guelder, come hazel,
come hawker, come mayfly, come blue demoiselle;
come otter, come bubble-mouse, water vole and shrew,
come pearl-bordered fritillary and silver studded blue;
come yellow hammer, warbler, come dipper and teal,
come stone loach, come stickleback, lamprey and eel,
come spangled reed beetle supping air through a straw
for the river keeper is returned once more.
vi Heartsong
Always may there be a stand of balsam
set back from the river, and a mama beaver
emerged from her nest into early dusk,
grooming her punky, wicked fur,
steeping her tail in the water & eating,
the noise of her chomping like kissing;
& always her kits will be slipping
under the fringe of the willow to reach her,
and almost with a sigh, almost with a shrug
she’ll turn and waddle up the bank
dock a branch and trawl it back
to where they bicker & play & feed in their recess
of water & reed; & the bliss of their dwelling
will rest on the evening, it is here.
