Ice Whispers

Sandy River - January 2018

Ice Whispers

Deep freeze,
lasting for so very long.
And then… a thaw,
with torrential rains
and howling winds,
that lifts the waters,
cracks the layers of ice,
sets great chunks free.
Almost to flood level,
the river rushes through the valley
carrying the ice along
until the pieces
pile upon one another
in a jumble.
The rains continue,
then subside,
allowing the waters
to settle and recede.
Little by little the chunks
release to flow along,
softening in the milder temperatures
and the warmth of the sun.
Gently, more gently
the river flows,
slushy pillows of
residual ice slide along with it,
bumping gently into each other
as they ride along.
Merging and diverging,
they whisper
of wisdom gleaned

 from the freezing,
the flooding,
and the freeing. 

Sarah Carlson

January 15, 2018