Alleging Contentment
Turning this way and that, heading
down a stream with no one direction,
leaves streaming by at a leisurely pace,
I arrive at my favorite spot on the river
beneath a limestone ledge that extends
twelve feet from a small bluff.
Caving without going underground,
I sit and enjoy the breeze that flows
beneath the rock ceiling shading me
and become one more rock in the river,
invisible to the world out there in the sun
as I watch a heron fishing on the shore
and turtles sunning themselves on a log.
Timing my stay long just long enough
to head home, I raise my paddle and push
myself out of the shade, startling the heron.
Winging its way downstream, it passes over
the turtles, each one splashing into the water.
Paddling out into the sun, I turn upstream,
kayaking my way back home.
This is my response to Meet the bar, verbing, the prompt from Björn that asks us
to write a poem that uses verbs we have made from nouns. While I have not
created any new verbs, I have used at least twelve words
that already exist as both noun and verb:
turning, heading, streaming, caving, shading, fishing, sunning,
timing, winging, paddling, splashing, & kayaking
(with a play on words in the title)
rivrvlogr 
I wondered about the title but now see it. Nice blending in with your environment. Nice shot of the ledge you’ve mentioned before.
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Thank you. Lisa.
That’s completely underwater during floods, but I stay off that part of the river due to the current. Lately, with low water, I haven’t been able to touch any of the ceiling, except where it meets the wall.
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You’re welcome. You know your friend the river well.
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So completely midwestern. A stream, a flowing stream that rises or drops back with its seasons. Thank you for sharing your vision of a favored place. Sitting here in the dry west (with air conditioning, thank you) I am transported to your world. Lovely. 🙂
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Thank you, Daniel. Out your way, it’s feast or famine, bone dry or slip-sliding away.
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Wonderful poem Ken, so engaging. I wanna be under that overhang! Sounds idyllic.
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Thanks, Rob. It’s a nice escape.
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Many of us haunt “favorite places”, precious to just us. Nice use of the noun/verbs; it flows so naturally the prompt words slide on by.
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Thanks, Glenn.
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Great stuff, Ken. The only way to be more there would be to actually BE there. Thanks for bringing us along.
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Thanks for coming along, Ron.
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This was lovely, Ken. I would so love to be right there.
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Thank you, Dale. I’m sure you would enjoy it.
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kaykuala
Winging its way downstream, it passes over
the turtles, each one splashing into the water.
Paddling out into the sun, I turn upstream,
kayaking my way back home.
It certainly seems to be a lot of fun for you, Ken!
Hank
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🙂 It’s a calming experience, Hank.
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What a magic spot you’ve shared with us. It sounds so peaceful and serene. Thanks
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Thanks for joining me, Beverly. 🙂
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This is such a wonderful scenery… my kayaking is a bit wilder … especially when in open sea.
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Thank you, Björn. I don’t have a skirt on my kayak, so I prefer not to be swamped!
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A wonderfully creative way to use those words …. really enjoyed reading this!
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Thank you. 🙂
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I love the idea of caving without going underground. And how your words take me back to many canoe trips long ago.
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Thank you, Claudia. Not every paddle is idyllic, but those certainly are the most memorable.
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What a lovely place to be, watching our graceful creatures. Have a good weekend.
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🙂 Thank you.
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