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The Ohio River Once a Year

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Did I dream

Of flooding?

It’s been raining

Occasionally

Torrentially

And I’ve been caught

In some

Not much

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I have not seen a flood

Except after

With effects

I guess that’s normal

I’ve never lived along

The Mississippi

Though the Ohio

Used to flood

(still does, I’m sure)

Once a year

Taking houses

And lives away

Like the old hymn

About time’s sons

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Then the houses

Would be built

And those alive

Resume their inside living

Once again

Until the following spring

Should cause

All the deadly

Wash again

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Maybe no one

Wants to buy

Maybe if you have some land

You’ll live the terror

Once a year

To keep it

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C L Couch

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Photo by Art Institute of Chicago on Unsplash

Two Women on the Shore by Edvard Munch

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https://hymnary.org/text/our_god_our_help_in_ages_past_watts

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