With the past, I have nothing to do; 
nor with the future. 
I live now. 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 


Standing on a bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River
I’m mystified and dazzled by the splendor of the valley below
It takes me where I need to be,
opens up my mind to see,
I’m dancing down the destiny river. 

Destiny River takes me home
Where my spirit’s free to roam
Lessons waiting to be shown
Destiny River takes me home.
  
Life is what you make it not what you wish it was,
there’s always higher purpose when you try,
when you change the way you look at things
the things you look at change,
your limitations vanish in the sky  

It’s better to aim for the moon and hit the fence,
then to aim for the fence and hit the ground,
when in drought, your words have dried,
you don’t know what to say,
best not to smudge the silence with your sound.
   
Who is that in your mirror, the one who calls your name?
plays dress up with your soul, declares it’s me.
Don’t search for words, be naked,
let the fabric fall away,
no need for language when you learn to see. 

Grooves of change run deeper than the clothes you choose to wear,
while resisting what you need leaves you behind,
wisdom is the luminance
that lights your darkened path
and leads you to awakened states of mind.  

Standing on a bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River
I’m mystified and dazzled by the splendor of the valley below
It takes me where I need to be,
Opens up my mind to see,
I’m dancing down the destiny river.

Destiny River takes me home
Where my spirit’s free to roam
Lessons waiting to be shown
Destiny River takes me home


Copyright © Henri Ferguson 2003 all rights reserved


Author Comments

Edmonton, Canada is home to one of the most beautiful river valleys I have ever seen; a little slice of wilderness in the very heart of this sprawling city and a major corridor for wildlife. Having lived very close to the river I have spent many glorious hours blading, biking and just wandering there with my dogs. This poem had its beginnings one beautiful summer morning while standing on a footbridge overlooking the river and has now morphed into a song.
  
These days the Bow Valley is my home, the stunning Rocky Mountains, the crystal clear waters of the Bow River, the crisp clean air, and another stepping stone as I connect the dots in my life. In retrospect it occurs to me that it does not matter where we are, the muse comes in many forms and our creative efforts are like water flowing down into that Destiny River.