Along the Banks of the Serpent River

by Ryan Quinn Flanagan

the Ojibwa elder
saw his reflection in the water.
It was that of a spotted leopard
when he was a child

but now it just looked old
and weathered.

As the Ojibwa elder looked upon the water’s reflection
and ran his fingers across the wrinkles of his face
he remembered the story of Narcissus
and laughed.        

He much preferred
the leopard.