Watercress Creek
(from Boyhood Tales)

Up on the Plateau of Arizona
north of Flagstaff,
a small stream
comes from someplace
up on Humphreys Peak;
crystal clear,
icy cold,
it winds down
through the forest
seldom seen,
except by hunters.
It's in this stream
where the watercress grows;
where we'd spend the day
tromping in the woods,
just because;
where we'd kick off our boots,
sit on the bank
and nurture our feet
in the cold,
invigorating flow;
where we munched crisp,
green,
tangy
watercress leaves,
and slacked our thirst
as we spoke
of our day.


w. james beard, jr.