praise the whistling of a singular swan
high-pitched wings overhead
praise the chatter of hundreds
boisterous, like a cocktail party

praise salmon-colored water so buoyant
we float for what seems like forever
feet sticking out when swimming breaststroke
in the water's warm everywhere-arms

praise salt crystals big like diamonds
transported to another planet
praise our bodies made mostly of water
lulled to sleep, still in motion

praise the return of the blackbird
praise the trill of their call in the tree
black wings concealing red flash
until taking flight

belly-down by the water’s edge
face-to-shrinking-shoreline
I found the bison of myself
while sunflowers flashed in the light

Lines gathered from participants of a River Writing workshop on January 29th, 2022.