AS ONCE WAS

A little branch just running free
through a lowland hardwood hollow
is all I ever thought to be
unaware of what would follow
all of it in nature's way

But then one day the beavers came
from a slightly larger creek downstream
since then things are not the same
my wild free days became a dream
fate took me, now, another way

For soon the beavers built a pond
my wandering days were over
but by suprise I soon grew fond
of watching the blue cranes fly over
on their way to who could say?

As time passed the pond just grew
until it spanned from ridge to ridge
the beavers' building then was through
'cause water backed up to the bridge
where my bed turns to blue clay

In place of beavers then came weeds
at first around the shallow shore
thin water where the wild fish breeds
which feeds on bugs, minnows and more
at the start and end of day

And time went on and time went on
'till open water became rare
moss near thick enough to walk upon
eutrophication did its share
where both cattails and willows sway

After time the only water
was bound up in the marshy ground
where bullfrogs would burp and barter
with all of the tree frogs around
every night 'till break of day

The decades came and then went by
'till a hard storm cut a new creek bed
allowing, then, the marsh to dry
peat moss becoming soil instead
and poplars came again to sway

Poplars were joined by birch and oak
like long ago I'm running free
and just the rare bullfrogs now croak
I am now as I used to be
all of this in nature's way