Dream river dampens
my dry eyes, day and deep night.
I enter its flow:
an old womb throbs wistfully
with fishflies, catfish, and carp.  

She cleanses sinners’ feet,
baptizes the despondent,
beckons the thirsty.
Lifts summer fowl, boat, nomad.
Lone egret descends at dawn.  

Dream river deludes,
pledges constancy but fails.
I drown     in its calm,
gasp for fresh understanding,
inhale stale questions.  

I follow water
South to expansive wetlands
sandbars and tide pools.
Walk into the gulf
washing fish and overwrought humans.