Flux
by Stephanie L. Harper and Robert Okaji
I remember what I cannot say
in the moment before
I somehow say something else,
instead,
but like a river reversing course
seeps its brackish warmth
into crisp mountain runoff channels,
my backdraft, too,
threatens
to stifle the resident cutthroats
along with their prey.
Nothing will remain safe for long
from the toxic sediments I bear
upstream, resisting
the current’s translucent
promise to rush me past the crest
of undulant reeds between
the salt marsh and open sea;
for no twist in the shoreline,
nor cloudburst’s surge could un-speak
the daylight
from its collapse
into the ocean’s black throat.
“Flux” first appeared on Underfoot Poetry, and is one of several pieces (with more to come) written during the past year in collaboration with Stephanie L. Harper, whose wisdom, patience and good humor enrich my life daily. Thank you, Daniel Paul Marshall and Tim Miller for taking this piece.
O at the Edges 
Amazing
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thanks very much. I can’t imagine sharing the writing of a poem with anyone but Stephanie L. Harper.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful poem, thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’m so pleased you liked it. Thanks very much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An incredible energy flows through this … somewhat out-of-control (my perception) … intriguing, and a fabulous two lines closing. Bravo for you and Stephanie! How do you choose who posts these co-written gems?
LikeLiked by 4 people
Out-of-control seems appropriate, and could be used to describe our process, which is anything but controlled. 😀 Haphazard, perhaps. Ha. Oh, I just asked if she minded if I posted this. In general I wouldn’t want to post one until it had had the opportunity to be published somewhere.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Why does this seem like an argument between me and my husband?
LikeLiked by 4 people
Ha!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great answer, whichever of you two so typed “Ha!”. The juxtapositioning is magnetic, you two. (And the unresolved – at least by me – photo intrigues. This one will require much re-chewing fully to satisfy. It’s as if each verse hides unsponen – unwritten – text. I find myself shedding sympathy for the trout. “…un-speak the daylight”: what a marvelous phrase. Were I less a completely developed cad I would ask only one permission before stealing (with full credit(s) of course. But like any other rare gem found its way eyeward, I shall just share – as I did in my facebook posting – and will so fling upon richwrapper with your kind permissions. Thanks, Stephanie; thanks, Robert. I look forward to more. Much more.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“unspoken” not unsponen…though that word does have a small charm, no? And I thought I had re-read the above to make sure my fingers flew closer to accurate this time.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My fine editor’s eye missed “unsponen.” 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I train both eyes and sets of fingers to ignore my “fine” set of discriminations when they disagree. Sometimes, the results are better…dratitall!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of my best moments come from mistakes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Charter Club Mistake Maker Member here. Though some of my more memorable mistakes reside on the opposite end of the scale, my friend. Good way to learn humility and creative apology.
LikeLike
Thanks, JKR! While I sometimes have difficulties remembering who wrote which line, I distinctly remember writing “ha.” Thanks, for sharing, flinging and commenting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
my pleasure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on richwrapper and commented:
A collaboration from Stephanie L. Harper and Robert Okaji (O at the Edges on WordPress. And the best part: they promise more. Enjoy!
LikeLiked by 3 people
🙏🏼
LikeLike
I shared this one at Go Dog Go Cafe, as another person generously did for me! 😊httpsdoggocafe.com/2019/01/17/pay-it-forward-thursday-january-17-2019/comment-page-1/#comment-16517
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, ma’am!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A collaboration in poetry can honour both poets, and often does bring surprise into creating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure that I could write with anyone but Stephanie. We’re so different in style and approach, yet manage to combine our strengths into a third voice. Trust plays a large part in that – we willingly relinquish our words to one another.
LikeLike