Grand Rapids: The Ghost Ferry
by Lynn Rigney Schott

Here the river will always have a story to tell
oooooof strong south winds, dark swells blooming among rocks
the boisterous voice of "the booming of the waters"
ooooopewter clouds hanging over the mountains
above whirlpools wild and silver as a miner's dream

Years later the hulk of Miss Columbia was lodged
oooooin the cove near Rickey Point, quiet and still
until one summer night she stirred and floated on high water
ooooothrough the sailboat buoy-fieldoooooimagine
this enormous bulk of a dark wreck gliding
ooooowith some long-forgotten purpose
barely scratching the side of one small sailboat
oooooas she eased her way in the channel and came to rest
in the moonlight on the sandbar at the mouth of the Colville River

Today the bones of Miss Columbia
ooooolie like vertebrae in the sand at Rickey Point
among smooth stones and willows and pine needles
oooooGeese fly over on dark wings, shadows
drift and sail like the spirit of what is lost
ooooooooooin the silent voice of deep water
oooooooooolives the rushing voice of white water
oooooooooothe dream voice of water on its way somewhere
oooooooooopoised like rain ready to fall
ooooooooooaimed like an arrow on a journey to the past

Lynn Rigney Schott teaches at Kettle Falls High School, loves baseball and writes poetry.

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