Beside, Before, Beneath

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr

 

Beside, Before, Beneath

Placement is paramount in understanding
this gift, to be so near a natural wonder
appreciated only by proximity and granted
by the good grace of introduction by parents
who appreciated the beauty around them
and were aware of the intrinsic value of water,
that essential element that lives within all of us.

To be held beside, to stand before and beneath,
and to ride on the waves below the Falls of Niagara.
All of these have been my pleasure, practiced
for the first six decades of my life.

While being with the one I love this past decade
has been an additional blessing in my life,
my distance from that natural wonder is now
nine hundred miles, a curse that is lifted
only when traveling to see family.
The day when it is once more a short drive
from my door cannot come soon enough.

This is my response to Day 29 at napowrimo.net, which is to “write a poem in which you muse on the gifts you received at birth — whether they are actual presents, like a teddy bear, or talents – like a good singing voice – or circumstances – like a kind older brother, as well as a “curse” you’ve lived with.”

Photos
American Falls with Horseshoe Falls in background
One year old, with my father & grandfather
Visiting Niagara Falls with my wife
(click each photo for larger view in new tab)

 

9 thoughts on “Beside, Before, Beneath”

  2. Geography of emergence does contribute to shaping each of us – I feel little urgency to return to my original landscape but might be time to acknowledge how it shaped me! Some of the NaPoWriMo prompts resonate! I’m picking up on the vibration of moving water as a stimulus to the fluids within a human body (your experience) and wondering if the opposite “force” of flat, dry West Texas sand gets partial credit for my laid-back let-it-be energies?

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  3. I too, love the awesome power of The Falls and though I’m a confirmed southern girl, I did love visiting. When my ex-husbands parents were still alive and we were still married, the in-laws lived up in Buffalo and we’d visit. Awesome doesn’t even describe it in person. Thank you for sharing.

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  5. I can attest to the beauty that is Niagara Falls! What I wish to do in the future is more than just gaze upon them, but also ride on the churning waters and stand behind them. Thanks for sharing your heartfelt experiences, Ken. 🙂

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