My geography teacher told me that a river rarely, if ever, splits.
Widens and narrows, sure, and its trench can be overserved.
But as soon as the source mounts and charts its finish,
Its passage is set to an unsophisticated A-to-B.
The rivers that split, see, they carry a tell.
These waters braid around bars and meagre riverbanks,
and even if a wayward artery emerges,
and the river’s course enjoys a little liberty,
this breakaway still chases the same salt as its elder.
It will run towards the same delta and empty into the same sea
as the very river it attempted to escape.
(Even waterways are not above the anticlimax, I thought.)
My teacher, noting my disappointment, suggested that
finding disillusionment in primary hydrological events
was perhaps a bit much.
Even for me.
-lh (01.07.22)
Lindsay Hutton 