Birth of an Ocean

I wrote this back in college and have always liked it. I wrote it on behalf of a roommate for his Pacific Northwest History class. He got an "A." I may be just a titch partial, but I think this is "A+" material.

The Birth of an Ocean

In the depth of winter, snow falls softly
In the high mountains of British Columbia.
Floating at the will of the wind, each tiny flake falls,
Capping the blue-gray peaks towering above.

The snow pack continues to build, deeper and deeper it grows
Through the first months of the New Year.
Continuing to build, bit by bit, each intricate flake,
Awaiting the sun’s rays to set them free again.

A glowing beam pierces the billowing clouds,
And shines upon the white desert below.
A faint glimmering drop forms from nothing,
And begins to slide deliberately down the icy mountain face.

The drop gains followers as it makes its way downward.
Each of its successors traveling at the same leisurely pace,
And then slightly faster and faster until...
Their individuality is lost.

The drops merge to form one long infinite trail of fluid,
Flowing, ever so elegantly, through its adolescence.
The white desert of its early days has now passed,
Giving way to the lush hues of the evergreen forests.

The narrow stream feeds off the pleasant scents,
And comforting quietude of the surrounding woodlands.
It thrives and grows as trout, crawdads, and mayflies abound.
The stream widens to a babbling brook, a calm creek and then...

A raging river gathers its power,
Barreling through the flat plains below the mountains,
And around the rolling hills in its path.
It cuts as it travels searching relentlessly for the path to freedom.

The majestic river swells wider and wider,
Masking its might beneath the platitude of its surface.
It seems almost weakened by its journey, but no,
It gains strength and burrows further down into its gorge.

Cutting at the canyon walls the rivers narrows and speeds again,
Appearing to have caught the faint scent of liberation.
It races around tight corners in seemed chaos yet undeniable power,
And then, realizing the challenge ahead, relaxes, conserving energy for a final push.

Its destination within contemplation, the river widens with intensity.
In this final leg of its long journey, it reflects back to its humble beginnings.
How long ago it seems that the inevitable vastness it was about to achieve
Was nothing more than a distant fantasy.

And finally, freedom, liberty, and ultimate enormity.
It had reached the long-sought childhood dream.
The one desire that had harnessed the immense forces of its nature.
Finally, the birth of an ocean.