Cold Spells: Water

December, 2022, bank of the Mississippi River at the foot of Saint Philip Street, New Orleans

"Come on, and let me show you the River." My friend had not seen it for a while, so I dragged them up to the levy and we looked on down, so far down, at the water. It's very, very low right now. The scene in the photo above is not normal. All of that is usually underwater. But it's not now, and has not been for long enough to give vegetation a chance to grow.

This spell is for us to fight. There is a group in the area, "L'eau Est La Vie"who works hard for clean water, including mounting a major defense against the building of more pipelines in our bayous.

We all have groups or can become groups, and must do. This spell is one to awaken, to listen, join with the water that is already so much a part of us. So starts the spell: (Stand at a water's edge, even if it's just a sink or cup. Look in.)

Sink your roots into the soil, delve down into the water table

at-on which we sit and sup and sing and wail.

I wish you knew, I wish you know, the endless ebbs where once was flow.

Drink deep, dip deep, inside it will keep; you and it together

As we always have been, will be, like you, like me, like sea-

we

become one again.