Kathryn Gray | South Yuba River Headwaters: Donner Summit Spring

Published on May 12, 2009 - 6:56:18 AM

By: Kathryn Gray, Donner Summit

and the stars reel over your heads
spooled out like thread thrown out by a subtle spider
casting her web over the universe

and the water, listen for it
seeps, and weeps, and drabbles down the rocks
a bright shine in the daylight
a damp reverse inflorescence in the night

spring comes surreptitiously
not so much creeping
but interrupted by unexpected snowfalls

welcome snowfall -
we need the water!
begone snow-
enough already!

but then the melt, slow, or sudden
over glistening tumbled rocks
gorging the South Yuba
with icy pure water

grinding snow plow dumps, road run-off
raggle-taggle dams, effluent,
cleansed by

the melt of a Donner Summit Spring.

By submitting a comment you consent to our rules. Please use your real first and last name, not a nickname or alias. Thank you.