And God said, "Let the waters of the heaven be gathered unto one place, and let the dry land appear" and it was so, and God called the dry land earth, and God said "let the waters bring forth abundantly" ---and I am the tributary of abundance which drains the land --- and you call me a river.

I was born of water. The rain, rippling brook, crystal clear springs, melting ice and snow give me life. The weight of my moving mass has carved myself through silt and stone. Along my shoreline, dense beautiful forests have sheltered and fed vast generations of elk, buffalo, deer, wolf, fox, mink, beaver, otter and lesser animals. I was clean and beautiful and these animals could be heard rushing through thickets and splashing around me.

Millions of birds have followed me as I have fed and protected them, and many of them I have seen no more.

I was wealthy with an abundance of fish who migrated endlessly through my unrestricted channels. Vast colonies of mussel decorated my sandbars and rockbeds and green vegetation carpeted my shoreline, providing shelter for frogs and salamanders.

I have witnessed the history of the lands long before any thinking soul recorded my splendor upon tablets or paid me respect with romantic poem.

The Mound Builders of which you know little, built their immortal rememberance with shell and soil, but I knew them and their children's children, and only I know the mystery of their disapperance.

The Creek, Cherokee, Mohican, Chinook, Moki, Chippawa and generations of others have followed me in their rough boats and hunted my shores and camped near me for protection and meditation.

Black Hawk, Powhatan and Tecumshe found decision and guidance within my presence, as many Chiefs of many nations have allowed my presence to be a boundry; they respected my authority.

I have reflected the natural beauty of a thousand Indian maidens, for within me they could see their true appearance.

White hunters, explorers and trappers came to discover and chart me. They named me and gave all my vessels names; many of whom had already been named by my Red friends.

I furnished many easy prizes for the white hunter as my Red friends became worried and restless. Many of them choose to move: some stayed to fight and I washed away their blood.

Then came the humble but courageous farmer who desired to plant new seeds upon the rich silt I brought forth yearly. They loved my abundance, but in due season I would expand and destroy their crops and dwellings.

Then came the Audubons and Twains; thinkers, writers , poets, artists and historians who recorded the rapture of my being and the role I played in the emotions of people. To think; I the center of life of a new nation; the avenue for discovery; the doorway to new hope and freedom. Yes, I had reached my zenith. Thousands came to need me, use me, love and respect me and I became glorified.

As dwellings were built my forest was thinned. My old friends searched for far away lands. My new friends crowded my shoreline; Then they said that I had become a disaster problem and had to be controlled; which was contrary to my creators plan.

To control me within their man made limitations, they damned me and dredged me. I now find myself a sewer where scavengers take domain, and humans no longer see me as a true life giving part of the great creation. My natural role of provider has changed to that of an enemy to health and home.

My old friends are amused by it all now. My new friends see me made unfit as I am now the barrier trapping them in their own filth.

Only I, know to be patient. Humans have come and gone. I have been a moving highway since Genesis. I can only be changed with great human effort for short periods in time. At some fortold time I will again capture my natural design; wash away their ruins, bury the mess and continue as I was created to do.

I am the river and God's water gives me life.

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he grandest magnitude, which had the entire family coming ΣΩ