The Beaver

poem

The Beaver

On a quiet road along the shores of Chelan,
nestled in the crook of the Cascade Mountains,
I set upon a solitary walk.

The turquoise water sparkled, shimmering in the morning light.
I paid close attention and then saw I wasn’t alone—
a beaver glided along the lake’s surface near the shore.

I watched as he dove out of view, believing he was gone.
I continued forward, then smiled with delight when the beaver resurfaced,
keeping pace.

We continued together for what must have been a mile.
I thought of how, in the story of Narnia,
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver led the Pevensie children

to the great lion, Aslan.
I choose to believe
this beaver was also leading me.

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I wrote the poem above after going on a solo trip to Stehekin, Washington, for a few days of quiet, writing, contemplation, and study. Stehekin, if you haven’t heard of it, is a small community with about ninety full-time residents at the north end of Lake Chelan. It’s only accessible by boat or plane, and there is no internet or phone service. A few people have Starlink, but that is all. It was the perfect place to get away to. Below are a few more pictures I took while I was there.