The River, the Clouds, and Us….
I found a place to sit in solitude,
hoping to hear
what this moment had to say.
I listened, imagining stories
the river could tell
of its journeys through canyons,
how it overcame every obstacle
life, time, and Nature had set before it,
to flow right here – just to be with me.
I watched gray clouds building,
bullying white ones into submission,
with thunderous voices rising
until it was clear who the victor would be.
I sat in rain for hours,
thinking about how much
you are like those clouds at times,
angry, petulant,
ready to dampen everything
at the slightest provocation;
then, there’s me … I’m like the river,
soaking you in, feeding on you,
determined to face any challenge
to get back to the sea,
where summer sun will heat me,
and I’ll rise up into your arms
until you tire of me again,
letting me fall back to earth
….the way you always do.
Richard W. Jenkins
©2025
This is so sweet. Using the clouds to showcase the emotions, and the river steadily moving. Accepting whatever comes.
Thank you, Fia 🙏
Your words, expressed in favor and appreciation, show clearly that you’ve grasped the essence of this rather abstract piece, and how we connected through my own.
Most gratefully yours! ⁓ Richard🖌
Beautifully penned, Rascal. An amazing write my friend. Appreciate you.
Damian
Greetings, Syr DeadLove 🌿
Your inspiring plaudits … generous compensation, indeed … for an olde bard’s earnest efforts, are a ray of sunshine for the day.
You, too, are appreciated! ⁓ Rascal🖌
The strength in this is acceptance.
There’s so much emotion packed into this gem, Richard.
So beautiful…
Good morning, Mary 🌤
How keenly you’ve perceived the core essence of this rather abstractly metaphorical work … so few seem to … and, what inspiring satisfaction it is to receive your generous praise and expressed appreciation.
I’m sincerely grateful for your lovely words, Dear Poetess! ⁓ Richard🖌
My pleasure
Beautifully said, Richard. This is a splendid mix of images and sentiments, much like sitting and listening to a soft song on the radio. 🙂
What a nice Thursday morning greeting! 🔆
A lovely review from my fine friend, Tim, who always interprets my humble pieces as though he’d penned them himself.
I love the “sitting and listening to a soft song on the radio” juxtaposition.
How I so deeply appreciate the years of our poetic connection, My Friend. 🙏
I hope you enjoy as nice a day as you’ve made mine … thank you! ⁓ Richard🖌
I always appreciate a good picture to go along with something, but honestly your words helped create the scene so perfectly that it wasn’t needed (not that I’m complaining, I’m a visual person after all).
I liked the personification of nature and comparing it to actual people, like personification taken to a whole new level I guess. This was calm and soothing but also deep and impactful.
Hello, Lady Green 🎶
How gratifyingly delightful it is to have one of my more ambiguous pieces so clearly comprehended and felt.
That you favored (and, actually understood) the metaphorical unification of Nature ‘n humans let’s me know we’ve connected on a meaningful level … and, how gratifyingly rewarding this truly is to a hopeful bard’s desire.
Quote: “calm and soothing but also deep and impactful” … sighhh! What a gracious compliment.
As for augmenting writing with pictures, we both know a poorly laid work will never be improved by art, but a finely woven piece will be blessed with its ambience.
Thank you, Dear Poetess, ever-so gratefully for sharing this rather complex piece with such efulgent favor! ⁓ Richard🖌
The river, the rain, and evaporation–I like that idea. The evolution of weather and romance all rolled into one. Quite clever and poetic, Richard!
Thank you, Sam,
For dropping-in for a read and thought-filled review of this rather poignant little number.
Blessings, M’Friend! ⁓ Richard🖌
Absolutely gorgeous piece.
Thank you, Lady Alexandria,
Your visit and accolades make a olde bard smile.
Hugs! ⁓ Richard🖌
Even as I read it now after years, it’s still one of my favorites… I will always admire pieces that blend life, nature and love all together like You did so splendidly here, a poem that not only captures the heart with its beautiful imaginary, but also with the way it reaches the depth of emotions and how it hiddenly carries wisdom and emotively expressing the weakness of the human heart when it comes to love. that’s what we call, “a piece to remember”.
تحياتي عزيزتي غنوة 🌺
How wonderfully delightful it is to hear your always intelligently lovely voice again, in review of this refreshed olde poem; after such a prolonged absence, you’ve truly been missed.
I hope life’s been treating you kindly, as you so-well deserve.
Yes, “a piece to remember,” indeed.
I knew you’d find favor in this one, because I so well recall the genuinely kind and understanding depths of your mind, heart, and soul … as your own brilliantly laid words verify this ever-so vividly.
Your turn now, to treat us to your own glow of poetic wonderments. 🙏
Hugs ‘n blessings, Dear Poetess! ⁓ Richard🖌
I’m a free verse kind of girl. I’ve always gravitated to it mostly because I feel it offers an introspective voice for what I want to say. I take long walks, mostly for photography purposes, and witnessing nature in all its glory. You should write more in this vein. I truly enjoyed this side of you!
Hi, Kelly 🌺
I’m so very pleased to be greeted by your always interesting, and significantly relevant expressions about whatever it is you’re addressing … this morning, to receive warm, laudable praise for my writing skills, and for your gracious admonishment to lean my olde pen more vigorously into Free Verse poetry, an idea I so thoroughly adore. In fact, over 25% of my poetic endeavors have been in the form of Free Verse.
As you do, I perceive Free Verse (as well-as) Freestyle, Blank Verse, and poetic Prose, etc; what most consider unmetered, mostly unrhymed, poetry … to allow a much broader venue of open expression; plus, I also genuinely enjoy composing in this genre a much as any other.
Yet (to me), the art poetry is so vastly variable and inclusive in its capacities to paint verbal word pictures, according to the artist’s individual tastes and needs in doing so, to limit my potentials to one or two, or even three or more forms would be to smother my seemingly near-endless river of monumentally, divergently flowing thoughts, emotions, feelings, ideals, concepts, et al; each with its own perfect poetic form required for its precise clarity of delivery … Free Verse being one of those that fulfills its own vastly wondrous need and capacity.
Whenever you come to mind, Dear Kelly, it’s always a moment for grateful celebration in every possible way and form I can conceive of! : )
Thank you, ever-so warmly, for You! ⁓ Richard🖌
There is the gentlest laid advice re morals and faith in your words, sir. ‘Go gentle into the night’ perhaps? Let silence be a friend as you slowly reach a state of being seen by what YOU long to see: accepted for what and who you are.
‘ I’m like the river,
soaking you in, feeding on you,
determined to face any challenge
to get back to the sea, – ‘
Ahhh, Lovely Em ✨
Welcome to Stars Rite … it’s such a pleasure to know you’ll be here to share with and enjoy at the click of a moment’s desire for excellent storytelling and poetic magick of your original mastery … we’re sooo lucky!
Just like the verse you’ve highlighted to express understanding me and my core intent, by virtue of your impeccable depths of perception in always grasping the true essences of my humble efforts, I am assured you’re still one of my all-time favorite writers and readers to share with.
Hugs, blessings, and most grateful thanks, Em! ⁓ Richard🖌
Good morning dear Richard,
Up early and chose your poem to read and ponder before I start my day with a “green drink” and capuchino…
When I read your work I am always swept away into a dream like place full of emotions. I “stand” by you captured in the moment. This one is full of layers and wonderful metaphors. The use of Earths treasures to explain your emotions add texture to those feelings. The end made me cry as I understand the feelings oh too well.
Your desire to get back to the sea where you are loved and happy makes complete sense to me.
Lisa
A very good day to thee, Dear Lady-Poet 💖
I dunno ’bout the “green drink,” but he cappuccino sounds delish … yummm!
It is always so exciting to receive a read and review from you, Lisa, because I know I’m in for a real treat of understanding and appreciation for my earnest efforts to write for and please at least one, and that happens to be You. : )
That this rather poignant piece touched you so deeply is high praise, indeed, and tells me we’ve connected on a wonderfully meaningful level.
Thank you ever-so warmly, Lovely Poetess … big HUG! ⁓ Richard🖌
Gosh, look how much time has slid by… Yikes..
Lisa
I read this and it kinda grabber me, but I got a little lost amongst which was River, and which was the “I” of the poem.
Therefore I am going to read it again later, and post a more meaningful and detailed comment. 🙂
G’mornin’, SeaCat 🌤
Welcome to StarsRite, and thank you for reading and commenting on this rather metaphorically ambiguous piece.
I’m very pleased to know it “grabbed” you, and not too surprised it had you wondering at the same time.
One way to unravel any confusion about … which was River, and which was the “I”? … would be through this comment in L1 of the penultimate verse, “I’m LIKE the river”. Everything after that is sheer metaphor.
I do so excitedly await your follow-up read and comment.
May the rest of your day be sunny ‘n bright! ⁓ Richard🖌
I like this poem, with its imagery, and multiple readings bring rewards. In your bio, you invite well-meant criticism, so here is mine. I hope that you will perceive this as well-meant and, in some way, maybe helpful.
The line ‘life, time, and Nature had set before it’, has a rather lovely flow to it; perhaps like a river.
The line ‘either going over, around, or under it’ could be omitted without damaging the poem. Including this line is perhaps feeding the reader too much.
The line ‘Somewhere along the way my focus changed,’ confused me, because the poem opened with ‘ I found a place to sit …’. Perhaps omit the words ‘somewhere along the way’, or even dispense with that entire line. It would make the poem more energetic, if that’s what you’re going for.
‘I watched (the) gray clouds building, bullying (the) white ones into submission, (their) thunderous voices rising…. until it was clear who the victor would be
is a delightful image, nicely worded. The words in brackets could happily be omitted.
You could put the final line into its own stanza, just for emphasis.
Well, SeaCat ⚓
I am grateful beyond gratitude how you so smoothly slipped into my consciousness, leading me into rendering a much finer, refined rendition of this rather (overly?) involved piece.
Each critique you so graciously laid out has been embraced, sorted, and set into place, creating a far more enjoyable read for not only myself, but for those yet to come. Please, let me know if I’ve missed anything, or elsewise.
Yours, a rare and welcome review, indeed, of the sort every writer should be blessed to receive … a “real” constructive, highly-skilled lesson.
Most thrilled, thank you! ⁓ Richard🖌
It was a pleasure 😊
Beautiful write… flows so smoothly… love the orphaned line at the end
Hello, Lovely Dragonfly ≽༏≼
Your gracious praise and encouraging love of anything I’ve written, gifts more exhilarating pleasure than a happy bard could have expected, but I’m keeping every word. ; )
Thank you ever-so warmly, Dear Poetess! ⁓ Richard🖌
(PS: see you tomorrow in the group!)