WATER BORDERS 



in mid-season the petal-shaped scales show 

 a crimson satin surface, perfect as a rose. 



The birch — the brown-bark western 

 birch characteristic of lower stream tangles 

 — is a spoil sport. It grows thickly to 

 choke the stream that feeds it ; grudges it 

 the sky and space for angler's rod and fly. 

 The willows do better ; painted-cup, cypri- 

 pedium, and the hollow stalks of span-broad 

 white umbels, find a footing among their 

 stems. But in general the steep plunges, 

 the white swirls, green and tawny pools, 

 the gliding hush of waters between the 

 meadows and the mesas afford little fish 

 [no- and few flowers. 



t> 



One looks for these to begin again when 

 once free of the rifted caiion walls; the 

 high note of babble and laughter falls off 

 to the steadier mellow tone of a stream 

 that knows its purpose and reflects the sky. 



221 



