Waterbugs unzipping the seam of river,
hundreds of Vs opening before me,
it is warm but I know what lies ahead
the mirrored clouds afloat
on the smooth surface
in the late August twilight
now sink to the riverbed
like cotton candy autumn leaves
while fat walleye heave and leave
blooms of mud behind
in the mazes of weeds,
when I fall, I will fall
down into those clouds
I will be tucked into the riverbed
through the unzipped mantle of the world.
Halfway North 