by Jill Wigmore
1. Nechako
a fish spine crusted to shore
dried eggs sparkling
like lost things stuck to stone
the river trickles
slow
the Nechako underfull
but imagine it teaming with current:
ripped willows crammed to shore
logs jammed against bridge uprights
and placid massive white sturgeon
languid on the river bottom
unruffled by the water at full bore
undammed
man oh man
I wanna see that one
2. Chilako
one bend available
bridged, seen at a whiz-pass
reeds at river’s edge
eddy river right
despite the signs the kids park
and plunge
to the chicken-farm river mud
chilako chilako
a song at high speed
the view in the rearview
makes you back up
3. Nation
big, slow, sloping water
sweeps the swimming hole
hopefully full of eatin’ fish
more likely fallen cars
from the Nation river bridge
4. Fraser (Fort George)
dripping the rain into the broad brown river
can trees be proud?
the cottonwoods aren’t quitters
they draw the river up their roots
reach high toward sky
travelers in metal cars untouched
by river life, rife and humming
down below
5. Stuart
two types of water
swirl together in a kindergarten picture of confluence
silt and summer
the sweat of one long lake
giving up to smaller water
pressured into flow
from cloud to this: brown
and bright green
("Five Bridges" was first published in home when it moves you (Creekstone Press 2005)
