Big Creek vs Pigeon River

water wild, water tamed

Big Creek is larger than many rivers in the these mountains—

clear as water gets,

letting loose the green and black of its depths,

the white, where, dropping, it froths after rocks,

just downstream a hydroelectric plant sits

and forces the Pigeon River to flow through its turbines

and transform dropping water into electricity

for our microwaves and electronic tools,

how challenging it is to need water tamed

and to also need water wild,

we struggle to balance those needs.

by Henry H. Walker

May 16, ‘16