Discovered
Cara Dorris

I am a river
Flowing behind bushes
Of bristly burrs
Damned by logs
And algae
Clinging to my
Firm walls
And you
Discovered me
During some winter day
In the meadow
You cut down
My bristles
You waded through my water
Breaking up
Those clogging clusters
Of finicky lumber
And dragged them to the riverbed
And you wanted to
Know me
Unraveled by a stranger
But rushing water has new paths
Free of obstacles
Yet frogs and crayfish
Still remain
Parts of me
No longer concealed
By the guarding briar

And I am surprised
By who backs away from the river
Even those I thought I knew
Now scared the things that float on my water
But I am more surprised
By who stares into me
On this frigid winter day
And takes a drink