1. Knowing is Human Not of Rivers By Peter Christensen Bryce Lewis

2. Knowing is Human Not of Rivers the river does not care what is put on it does not see or hear or feel tired or needed does not go to work need money or care if the job was bid too low or too high the river does not feel cold or pain or broken in spirit make mortgage payments enjoy fine wines, excess, desire, passion, cool thoughts, anger a river is dammed its energy seized channeled into wires it does not feel sorrow the river does not care if we live or die of cancer or stroke or lung disease are fit or mentally ill the river does not care if we sewer it, smelter slag its gravel beds, dump salt, garbage, pulp effluent, 24D or rain... it flows or doesn¹t flow clear dirty polluted or stinking it's all the same to the river the river is not subtle or rip-roaring or easy or difficult to run the fishing is neither good nor bad the river has no memory no conscience no history fought no wars lost no loved ones the river knows nothing knowing is human, not of rivers

3. Thematic statement The theme of this poem we humans are the ones that will see and feel the consciences of our actions. If we continue on filling our rivers and waters with dirt, grim and pollutant we are the ones that will suffer. The river has no mind. Its an inanimate object, just water flowing from one destination to the other. When the waters run brown with waste, or clog with trash the river will not know; only we will know. It will not decide it’s fate, nor suffer from bad decisions. We have given ourselves the responsibility of the fate of the river.

4. Paraphrase the river does not care what is put on it does not see or hear or feel tired or needed does not go to work need money or care if the job was bid too low or too high the river does not feel cold or pain or broken in spirit make mortgage payments enjoy fine wines, excess, desire, passion, cool thoughts, anger a river is dammed its energy seized channeled into wires it does not feel sorrow It’s fate is not big deal to the river as it is just a river It is emotionless and senseless, feeling no highs or lows. Enslaved to one path in life, but its not sad over that

5. Paraphrase the river does not care if we live or die of cancer or stroke or lung disease are fit or mentally ill the river does not care if we sewer it, smelter slag its gravel beds, dump salt, garbage, pulp effluent, 24D or rain... it flows or doesn¹t flow clear dirty polluted or stinking it's all the same to the river the river is not subtle or rip-roaring or easy or difficult to run the fishing is neither good nor bad the river has no memory no conscience no history fought no wars lost no loved ones the river knows nothing knowing is human, not of rivers Our fate is of no concern to the river. We are the ones who will know the consciences if we dirty and pollute the river. The river does not feel, see, hear, or taste anything.

6. Poetic Devices – Personification the river does not care what is put on it the river does not care if we sewer it, it's all the same to the river the river is not subtle or riproaring – Imagery the river does not feel cold or pain or broken in spirit a river is dammed its energy seized channeled into wires it does not feel sorrow make mortgage payments enjoy fine wines, excess, desire, passion, cool thoughts, anger