the rivers of my memories
and those of my dreams
rivers real
and rivers imagined

meander through beautiful landscapes
like they're slowly chasing something
or someone

like they keep forgetting what they're after
but remember often enough
to keep heading in the same general direction


such is the life of a river
and such is the life of all
headed for some destination

it may meander
it may slow and quicken
and change direction and course
and split and rejoin
and grow and shrink

but all the while
it's headed for its end
the destination

which to break it down
linguistically
is the "destined" place


and thus
the rivers
like our lives
are ruled by fate