The River Weeps

Roaring through deep canyons with echoes loud and long
Icy tears' companion sings loud the mournful song.
Over, under, winding through, no ending to the deep
Foam white spray and sparks of blue, through all the river weeps.


Marching 'cross the bitter field where pain soaks in the soil
Silent watcher seldom healed of wounds from human toil.
Sentinal of changeless death that men upon it heap
The splash of red has spoiled its breath, in grief the river weeps.


Running fast away from all, seeking quiet rest
A place where none its name will call, the never ending quest.
It longs for solitude, a home, and no longer wants to keep
The sadness etched in memory's tome, for peace the river weeps.


Coursing, searching, never still, its task yet to perform
Continues on through strength of will, the calm beneath the storm.
The penalties of shame and fear are what the warriors reap
For seeds of hate sown far and near, in rage the river weeps.


Desert burn or jungle steam, no place of solace found
The vengeful strike a piercing scream, they gasp upon the ground.
Brief respites rarely come its way, when mankind fast to war will leap
Still it trembles for the day, when with love the river weeps.


And through the dross and wastes of men it forgives and washes clean
Another chance to make amends, the duel of life and death convene.
It follows fire's burning path, and fast away the ashes sweep
A time no longer dressed in wrath, with hope the river weeps.


**I don't know what prompted this particular writing, but today the phrase "the river weeps" kept running through my head and when I wrote it down, it turned into a poem about war. I guess it has been on my mind recently and although I don't generally know how to talk about such a weighty subject, I guess I needed to express some of my thoughts on it.