Knee Deep

Never mind the tube of glitter
emptied on the muddy river to give it sparkle.

Temper raises the temperature outdoors
too minutely to measure.

The lagoon in the oxbow is the home
of a hundred million mosquitos.

The river wishes it slept so well
as a dog after a day herding sheep.

The river does not understand
the contiguous nature of states in its channel.

This afternoon we are without our quest
for transcendent Nirvana

and without our quest find it
while retrieving glitter from the shallows.

Lost

The muddy river down in the valley
hides my gold wedding band.

I thought to hire two hermits to get wet
searching for it.

Too much like Sméagol in the shallows
for my comfort zone.

This unregistered mental chatter
takes place in the oxbow.