curious not consoled

Seventy days on the river with a confusion between

river turbulence and human tribulation. We are here

to be curious not consoled. The gift of the gods

is consciousness not my forlorn bleating prayers

for equilibrium, the self dog-paddling in circles

on its own alga-lidded pond. Emily Walter wrote:

            "We are given rivers so we know our hearts

            can break, but still keep us breathing."

[Jim Harrison {1937-2016}, from 'The Golden Window' in In Search of Small Gods]