For Ben

We look at you and muse; whose nose, smile, eyes?

We do that; grandparents, aunts, uncles, ancestors.
We know you are just you, and quite perfect.

We look for ourselves and to our pasts.

We are for you, with bonds of blood and love.
You are a new river. You spring new from the earth,
You meet our streams.
We seek you, tributaries.

We, "Flying Dutchmen" and "Frenchified Jews,"
Englishmen, Irishmen, Navigators

Younger sons and pilgrims,
Seeking land and freed souls.

We skipped an ocean and washed ashore;

Wandered inland, built railroads, piloted boats;
Miners and roughnecks, millworkers,
Chambermaids and scouts,
Airmen and scholars, lumberjacks, engineers.

We are for you.

Rivers grow, and seek the sea,
Meet rivers as they flow.
Some loud and joyous, rambunctious,
Some meander and eddy; 

Deep pools, deep life lie within.
Rivers enrich,
Sweet bright boy.
And rivers endure.