At An Oxbow Poem by Adrian Flett

In this mature valley the lazy river's slow;
as if uncertain which way to go
ambiguous of where to flow;
there is breach or flow at the oxbow.

As the stream seems to vacillate
at that point of the bow to hesitate,
rift or flow as whether it knows
to breach or flow breach or flow,

and will seek to move in a new way
over the built grainy crest of the bow
each speck carefully gathered and laid
there in the river's lazy flow.

Sudden random rush of torrent's flow
will alter, won't direct but will avow
the ubiquity of gravity's gentle insist,
thus balance equilibrium's shift.

Create a new path overwhelm and seal
leave behind to ponder indecision
fear and sorrow at the late revision
left to watch the new flow's zeal.

At the change the aftermath,
is the oxbow in the river's path
where the force arose cutting shear
the flow as now a slow gather of silts appear

In flat wide valley nature has time to restore
settles the dross there on that gritty shore
carved through the scenery's floor
as the river moves unhindered once more.

In languid pool cut-off from the flow
no longer a vibrant thing; silent now
while the lively water passes
moving with ripples and sparkles.

At the cusp watching the fruition
before our eyes, the evolution
as the flow instructs and so restricts
in this unique mien in times' constructs.

As it happens in the human mind
we seek, ponder and divine
all issues to decide unwind, set on display
uneasy to advance in life's vast disarray.

Why then do we intervene
in the lives of other sentient beings?
Just as water flows and pleads
ever the keeper that will intercede.

Our values at the core
not much different to norms and laws
that govern water's actions, expose
try to prod them from repose.

Once in the van of intervention
at the forefront of all alteration
but now blocked in the creation
by a blinkered mind's stagnation.

Patience cast aside we intervene
to interrupt the wavering
and god-like barge between
to upset this finely balanced thing.