river locks

the Viking boat built to fit just under

the river bridges and only wide enough

to come within inches of the walls

of the locks

we are in one now with rough cement

less than a foot from my window

and occasionally caressing gently

the bumper at the edge of the side

in some locks, we come alongside

another vessel, often another tourister

but once settled and gates adjusted

it startles me how quickly the volume

of water needed pours in, or in our case,

pours out and we ease downward

to the river level downstream

how efficient, how clever, how maximized have the engineers of lock

and boat made our stair-stepping

where once muscular men carried

their canoes around rapids and falls