Ledyard by Ramsey Alsheikh

Back then water joined
two banks.

A river flowed,
but it did not separate,

before it became Connecticut.

But when Ledyard sailed upon her,
and cast Ovid’s spells upon her,
a quiet metamorphosis took place,

and the river of old
took on a new name.

Now water partitions
two states,
and to travel across it,
you need to rent a canoe.