River is full of himself today
Dragonlord under a china blue sky
resplendent in lapis and cedar green scales
shining like the sun
swollen with self-importance
He runs his tongue
along the silt-smooth banks
nibbles on the embedded stones
sucks, rolls them around in his mouth
and spits them out
like cherry pits
We Cedars and Broadleaf Maples
standing close to the edge
risk being pulled in feet first
as he sucks the soil from our roots
and grabs at our low hanging limbs
He is a rebellious teenager now
disrespecting and bullying
the neighborhood ancients
But we old ones have seen this many times before
He is young and
full of restless energy
always in a rush
But he brings us needed water for which we are thankful
And come the summer drought
River will not be so puffed up
Puny, slow moving, and weak from the heat
he will be grateful for our shade