River Moods

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The Moods of my River...

I have lived here
on this river
for over
twenty five years

And in that time it has aged
like me...

The tree
directly behind the pelican
is the cormorant tree
which is shown
on the very left
of the top image

Each day I watch the river:
the flowing water
the birds coming and going
the sun playing on the trees
and the painted sky beyond


and notice her moods
and vagaries


She slumbers
and wakes

she reflects
in her own time

she offers a home
to the cormorants,
their roosting tree
has not changed
in all those years

she is receptive
and willing
to take us along

she slows
and idles
for the old fishermen

she can appear
saddened
at times

and joyful
at others

dazzlingly bright
in her fine golden gown

sombre
and subdued

quiet and thoughtful
peacefully still

enchanting
at sunset








romantic
in the moonlight

and hazy
with the moon





I have watched the sunlight catch
the white breasts
of the roosting cormorants
as they bow in prayer
seen the Brahminy kites
and their descendants
build their nests
in the tallest gums
for a quarter of a century
and watched them scoop fish
from the river with their talons
seen a hammer head shark
nose up onto the beach
pelicans glide
ducks pair and bob
sting rays flounce
herons and ibis dive
and glide over the water's surface
and mullet leap for joy



I have heard
the crows
repeatedly
shatter the morning still
the kookaburras laugh gleefully
and whip birds call,
amongst the many birds
whose singing creates
the river birdsong




but most of all
I have loved
to watch the
ripples glide in and out
upon the tides
at their own pace
in their own unhurried way
as they have for eons before
and will for years to come...





Oh Blessed River
Oh Happy days




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