The bitter sky hurled a deluge of tears
Down onto the dull stone bridge
That wearily spanned the turbid river
Waves swirled and water crashed
Up the banks in a tidal wave of grief
Coursing into the gritty mortar and rending it
With murky fingers
Until the stones creaked their protest
And surrendered one by one at first
Then an avalanche, a cacophony
Of thunderous sighs
To sink onto the desolate sand of the river bottom
Relieved of their pain yet still at a loss
For what to do now besides
Slowly erode in the twisting current
Be nibbled by curious salmon
And avoided by cherry red canoes
But they will have their reward
For the largest, bravest boulders
Have landed in a sturdy pile
The slab on top
Slate gray with silver speckles
That used to be a bridge
Is now a stepping stone.