Sunday by the Stanislaus river.
Sid's birthday.
The day so warm despite patches of snow.
The river laced with sunshine.
Flowing fast over ledges of yellow-red rock.
The water a translucent green.
The color of the marguarita pitcher Sid brought me.
(from an antique store in San Andreas)

Black sand and the glitter of gold.
I reached for a flake of gold,
but the swift current swept it quickly from my reach.
I had come here many times before.
Never needed company.
But now with Sid beside me,
I couldn't imagine it any other way.
Sharing a bottle of beer.
Companionable silence.
about this work | begin again | Dorothy Abrona McCrae | Judy Malloy |