Running like a Woman with Her Hair on Fire

The River Knew

32 the RiveR kneW I tell you now, that river has answers. Walk with me? it asked. I did. Listen! it said I did.And we talked, the water and I, about a dream I had in which some large dark birds flew over my head; their wings sounded like busses going by and I woke up frightened. I told this dream to the river, to the green scum over part of it and to the wild grasses and strange tall flowers. “What now?” I asked them all. “What now?”The river smiled and blinked its teary eyes. You dreamed all that it told me. You are awake now.Look at the path. Look at the waxwings.Awake is the only answer. Yes.Yes. ...