Pantoum: Salmon Ladder

The river rushes down.
The salmon swimming up.
Leaping in the light
up another rung.

The salmon swimming up
one tier to a pool.
Up another rung
to a waterfall.

One tier to a pool
the river rushes down
to a waterfall
leaping in the light.

The river rushes down.
The salmon swimming up,
leaping in the light
up another rung.

The salmon swimming up
one tier to a pool.
Up another rung
to a waterfall.

One tier to a pool,
the river rushes down
to a waterfall
leaping in the light.

The river rushes down.
The salmon swimming up,
leaping in the light,
up another rung.

The salmon swimming up,
leaping in the light,
up another rung.
The river rushes down.

Published in The North American Review