River Float – 1950<\/p>\n
Three Children and I on inflated mattresses the river narrowed between rocky cliffs Toutle’s steep descent tossed us water’s roar and echo …….<\/span>Half a mile downstream the canyon We waded ashore Elated with our venture too weary to tramp the road again <\/p>\n <\/p>\n (In 1980 Mt. St. Helens erupted, filling the gorge with muck and trees)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jeanne Gordner grew up in Longview Washington, then enrolled in Reed College, majoring in Political Science.\u00a0 Lloyd Reynolds introduced her to modern poetry, and she has been writing ever since. Eventually she became a teacher and taught for several years in Yakima, and then substituted in Oak Harbor schools when her family moved to Whidbey Island. \u00a0She returned to Olympia and was one of the original members of Olympia Poetry Network, which has enriched her writing life in many ways. Currently she lives in a retirement community and participates in a writing class.<\/a> She has published three chapbooks. \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" River Float – 1950 Three Children and I on inflated mattresses …….drifted Toutle River’s snowmelt water …….eddied quietly to a narrow gorge where the river narrowed between rocky cliffs dropped steeply…… surged … white water roiling and spinning …… past … Continue reading
\n…….<\/span>drifted Toutle River’s snowmelt water
\n…….<\/span>eddied quietly to a narrow gorge where<\/p>\n
\ndropped steeply……<\/span> surged
\n…<\/span> white water roiling and spinning
\n……<\/span> past boulders and downed trees.<\/p>\n
\nairborne into whirlpools……<\/span> under water and
\nabove again ….<\/span>in confined passage
\nbetween cliffs and reaching driftwood.<\/p>\n
\n.<\/span> overwhelming our screams, hurled us
\n……<\/span>over deep holes……<\/span> under tree limbs
\n……………………….<\/span> like homing fish.<\/p>\n
\n…….<\/span>opened and Toutle quieted to the percussion of
\n…….<\/span>water against stony beach.<\/p>\n
\n….<\/span>\u00a0heard nests of song in alder and aspen
\n.. .<\/span> felt sun’s heat.<\/p>\n
\nwe trudged the road back to camp and
\n…<\/span> abandoned ourselves again and again
\n……<\/span> to river’s icy race and swirl,
\n……….<\/span> its fluid passage between rock and rock. Until<\/p>\n
\nwe sat and watched water patterns
\ninterlace and elongate westward
\nwatched as sun slid behind trees
\nits last light dancing in the river.<\/p>\n