The Similkameen River flows east a long way from the mountains of E.C. Manning Park in British Columbia, to the *Okanagan fruit growing area in southern BC, where it turns south into the United States to become the *Okanogan River south of Oroville, and from there to the mighty Columbia River which then flows west again to the Pacific while it forms the border between Oregon and Washington for much of the way between them.
*Okanagan (Canadian spelling)
*Okanogan (American spelling)
It can be a bit of a flood plain in parts.
Does the river follow the highway, or does the highway follow the river?
Every time the highway bends,
And I’ve thought the river ends,
Then I see it once again,
Flowing past the rough terrain.
“Faithful follower, that you be,
Following me past rock and tree,
And you have so far to go.”
Says the river, “That I know.”
“I will twist and I will turn,
Shores of shrubbery and fern,
Gurgling over rocky places,
Where the little whitefish races.”
“Past the mountains and the streams,
Past the vineyards of my dreams,
I will hurry to the states,
Where the huge Columbia waits.”
“All together we will flow,
And we’ll put on quite a show.
At the western ocean shore,
You won’t know me anymore.”
“In the water system’s grasp,
Plunging in has made me gasp,
Sorry I’m not more specific,
But I’m in the great Pacific.”
December 2, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Great poem and so true of the area. 🙂
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December 2, 2019 at 10:06 pm
Thanks, Lynette. I had no idea this river was so long or that it ended up as part of the Columbia River. It’s far more than that little river I fished in many years ago.
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December 3, 2019 at 5:40 am
Lovely, Anneli!
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December 3, 2019 at 10:24 am
Thanks, Jennie.
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December 3, 2019 at 1:44 pm
You’re welcome, Anneli.
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December 3, 2019 at 6:59 am
With that name, it better be pretty 🙂
Cheers !
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December 3, 2019 at 10:24 am
Yes, it is quite a mouthful to say the name of this river!
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December 3, 2019 at 7:45 am
Do you ever get tired of, or not notice the majesty of your scenery? I can only dream of living among such glorious nature. So gorgeous. Great poem, too.
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December 3, 2019 at 10:28 am
Funny you should say that, about getting tired of it. We often try to think where we could move to because it’s getting so built up here, but as we go through all sorts of suggestions and ideas, we always end up staying here. Glad you liked my little poem. Thanks, Lori.
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December 3, 2019 at 8:49 am
You certainly live in an inspiring area, Anneli.
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December 3, 2019 at 10:26 am
I suppose each part of the country has something special about it. No palm trees here though. So you see, we can’t have it all.
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December 3, 2019 at 12:31 pm
No palms here either. 🥴
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December 3, 2019 at 1:27 pm
I bet you have other beautiful things in your scenery though.
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December 3, 2019 at 10:37 am
I like your poems!
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December 3, 2019 at 10:44 am
Thanks, Darlene. They’re not too highbrow, just fun little ditties, but I have fun writing them and I appreciate people reading them.
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December 3, 2019 at 11:16 am
Your poem does a fine job of capturing the landscape along its shores.
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December 3, 2019 at 11:21 am
Thanks, Belinda. I always have such an urge to stop the truck and trailer and get out (stopping all traffic) to take a picture of the river’s edge. The colours are so beautiful at this time of year. Lots of low-growing bright red shrubs (not seen in these photos) and the deciduous trees with their leaves turning yellow. I’m sorry that “drive-by shootings” are all that I can manage.
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December 3, 2019 at 1:34 pm
I would want to stop and have a good look around too. It sounds wonderful.
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December 4, 2019 at 7:05 am
Your last lines made me giggle. Love this, Anneli!
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December 4, 2019 at 9:50 am
😉 Thanks a lot, Susie.
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December 4, 2019 at 12:04 pm
I love those last lines hah! Very evocative of place, Anneli.
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December 4, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Thanks so much, Luanne. That makes up for the eye rolling I got from the Captain. 😉
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December 4, 2019 at 1:33 pm
Oh good grief!
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December 5, 2019 at 11:00 am
Love your poem and the pictures too!
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December 5, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Thanks, Ursula. I’m having fun with the poems.
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