ODE TO THE WATERFALL

“And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
But I don’t know how

Because maybe
You’re gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You’re my wonderwall”
An excerpt from the song, Wonderwall’ by Oasis

Definitions:

Waterfall: Area where flowing river water drops abruptly and nearly vertically. A waterfall may also be termed a falls, or, when large volumes of water are involved, a cataract. Waterfalls of small height and less steepness or a series of small falls are called cascades. Still gentler stretches of river that exhibit turbulent flow and white water are called rapids.

Fairy (faery)  Fairy – n., pl. -ies. A tiny imaginary being in human form, depicted as clever, mischievous, and possessing magical powers.
Fairy – … a mythical being of folklore and romance. Fairies are often depicted as diminutive winged humans with magical powers.

WAXING LYRICAL ON WATERFALLS

I’ve visited more than a few, but there surely are hundreds, nay, thousands more of ‘em!  And one of my great wishes, folks, is to see a great deal more of ‘em before I hang up my battered old boots to dry!

They fascinate, don’t they – waterfalls?  All that spume: gushing, spouting, pouring. Sending up silver spurts of spray that glitter silver-white in magic mists, like stardust sent showering from the twitchy-stick in a wizard’s gnarled fist.

Many a legend and folk-lore tale is born amid great white falls of thunder – from tinkling, babbling downward drifts where leprechauns lurk, to deep dark pools where elves engage with fluttering fairies.

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My travels have taken me here and there in my quest so see some of the waterfall wonders around the world: to places near – rapid, raging falls in the North of England, around the Lake District and Northumberland National Park; over the English Channel to a fabulously tall fall in France; all the way across oceans, to a  tiny little temple fall and a strikingly spectacular fall in Goa, India; on and on, to the other side of the world– to a charming combo of falls in the weird and wonderful wilderness of Western Australia.