Walking alone by the River

My heart sick, a welter

Of strange lights dancing

In the overwhelming gloom

I ask

Oh Guide, be with me…

And there you are again

Old Friend,

Who has been with me

Since I can remember!

In all weathers

Hot, cold, wet, dry, fine,

Disastrous,

You are there,

Closer than close

My most beloved

Faithful and stalwart

Friend

Quiet

Not saying much

Just there

Smiling.

River Walk with a Friend

Trudi Lee Richards

Trudi Lee Richards, a poet-bard of Silo’s Message, is the author of "Confessions of Olivia"; "On Wings of Intent, a biography of Silo"; "Soft Brushes with Death"; and "Experiences on the Threshold." Exactly two of her poems have ever been published: "Fairies of the Forest," which appeared in the Palo Alto Times "Youth Said It" column in 1957, and "The Great 21st Century Poemic," which appeared in the April 2021 edition of Global Poemic (globalpoemic.wordpress.com). She also edited and published the independent San Francisco newspaper "Human Future" from 1989-1997, and before that co-founded "La Mamelle," a '70s San Francisco arts publication. A graduate of Stanford University, she helped raise several humans from infancy, and is now enjoying their friendship. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.