When I found out I was moving from New York to Pennsylvania, I had a romantic, Mississippi-River-steamboat notion of loading my books, clothes, and instruments onto a vessel and riding down the Susquehanna River to a new life. Aware that transit for people and cargo no longer happens that way, however, I considered taking a cruise on this river someday. I was told that it is not navigable across the 160 miles I would need for my imaginary journey. I was disappointed because in uprooting myself, I emotionally wanted a tangible link from the place where I was to the place where I would be.
This week, while feeling comfortable with my new place yet relaxing away from it, I stopped to see the Susquehanna River. It is beautiful even though it is not what I wanted it to be.
Unnavigable
Unnavigable
Rivers on maps always blue
Frozen river brown
A route without fare
Signs speak trail for newborn cars
Susquehanna means?
Little League open
Market and ice cream shop closed
Susquehanna means?
Three stores for adults
One church giving food and love
Susquehanna means?
A river twice-crossed
Mountain echo blocked by fog
Susquehanna means?
Oyster River means
Mountain echo blocked by fog
A river twice-crossed
Oyster River means
One church giving food and love
Three stores for adults
Oyster River means
Market and ice cream shop closed
Little League open
Oyster River means
Signs speak trail for newborn cars
A route without fare
Brown river frozen
Always blue rivers on maps
Car-navigable
Ars Arvole 