Flash Flood

The creek bed
Was bone dry,
Not having felt
The flow of water
For well over a year.
A sudden downpour
In the mountains
To the east
Unleashed a torrent
Of dirty brown water
Roaring down
The channel,
And I just happened
To be there
Walking my dog
As it came through.
It showed up as
A three-foot high
Wall of water,
Foam and debris,
Traveling in slow motion
Downstream.
It was a natural
Phenomenon
It had never seen
Or heard of before.
The water was sinking
Into the loose sands
Of the river bed
Almost as fast
As it could flow forward,
Sculpturing
A standing waterfall
That slowly
Worked its way past us.
I was able
To walk along
Beside the wave
As it inched its way
Down the channel
Staying safe and dry
While my idiot dog
Chose to enter the fray
To rescue some sticks
Being carried downstream
With the flow.