WATER RISING

They issue warnings, it's no use
for Ol' Muddy has let loose
fed by melt and rain far from here
bringing misery to all things near

Underneath the blue bird sky
I watch inexorable water rise
one day dampening my fields
the next destroying all their yields

Driving out rabbits and deer
bringing snakes much much too near
I've hauled my livestock off the farm
to a place I hope is beyond harm

Water now has reached full barn of hay
another ruin, another day
should have built on higher ground
but there's none of that around

Waves now lap the yard and road
time to move a final load
of furniture and things we treasure
whose value would be hard to measure

Now I'm back by way of boat
who'd have thought a home of brick could float
but it has drifted to those trees
propelled there by a warm spring breeze

It's funny, as I look around
at all the world submerged and drowned
you'd expect to see a current flowing
not a still surface that's growing

All is brown save green tree tops
above water waving like upright mops
time to take my final leave
I'll choose another time to grieve