Sixty miles from the horns of Capitol Hill is the old historical town of Fredericksburg. This is not the strip mall-congested civil war haven that can suck the life out of you in Route 3 West Fredericksburg. No, I'm talking about the cobble-stone-sidewalk, homes of George Washington's sister and mother, civil war haven that is somehow endlessly charming in Route 3 East Fredericksburg. Being about mid-way between Washington, DC and Richmond, this area was a hotbed during the Civil War where about 100,000 people died as a result of four battles (Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Wilderness). For that reason, it's a destination for American history buffs. This side of Interstate 95 also hoards another treasure: the riverbed of the Rappahannock -- and the last few weekends, I've been hooked on its lure. Last Sunday during a tubing trip, I witnessed a large falcon brunching on a large fish (well, 12-inches long seems big for this size river). The bird perched on a branch above the water and pecked away at the wiggling fish trapped in its talons as I gazed from below. It was quite a gravity-defying spectacle of agility. This weekend was no disappointment either, watching some sort of water bird (duck?) dive beneath the river's surface for minutes at a time for prey below - no more than twenty feet away.
I'm certain I'll find my way back to the riverbanks again, though I promise it's not to watch mother nature's predators at work. There is something so inherently peaceful and soul soothing to be near that river, I can assure you, the fish feasts are merely a minor distraction from the beauty of it all. Here is a little something I borrowed from it today. Bear with me as it's still a little fresh.
Riverdream
Rippling water surrounds me, surrounds and
drownds the silent silence,
making a new silence of water
anew
silence of water that
moves and
takes me downstream before
whirlpooling
back
to where fish - jump - and
dodge
great rocks
and
diving birds.
In this quiet,
the sun dances
a water tango -
reflecting sharply
while melting softly
into the love creatures
below.
