water lapping ghostedge submerged foundation baked all because we built a dam to catch water water still water flow water captured and tamed or so they say as they built that dam to catch water
water abandoned water takeover water without us subsumes water consumes dam without damn overcome with water water as lake as river as rush as lips pressed to water as horse drinking water this manmade water is border is property water when claimed is of God whoever drinks from this spring communes with Him this delirious hallucinogen: water
water as farmland as fishery water as government currency water as object mined water as torrent divine water as breath as breathe water as everlasting Eve water as salted melted line water as not yours nor mine
there’s been a grave mistake, some flaw fatal, that water, in the dull lamplight mind, can’t listen or know: so need became want so share became take so water became ours so winterwater hangs seething in the clouds waiting to break open look at all that water water everywhere and nothing left to drink
Lake Mead dwindles, and so too many other basins that supply and withhold precious water— water that Americans desperately need for survival. As drought (widespread, expensive) becomes our constant reality, I wanted to reflect on water and our usage of it. We need water to live; but so does all else.
What reason have we to control water for our human purpose—bustling metropolis (future necropolis), religious ritual, utility bought and sold, watersports vacationry—while forgetting about non-human livelihood?
The photographs are mine, taken at the Oregon Coast (not Lake Mead hehe), and I added poem lines as ‘captions’ as if they were film stills. I think it adds some ephemeral, nostalgic quality to the piece.
I hope you remember to hydrate today.
Megan
Beautiful photos, beautiful poem, beautiful sentiment .. I will try to drink the recommended 8 glasses today!