Iron sinks in silted clay
Quercus roots would know the way
Fog curls round the Herengracht
Steel keeps watch on brick and slat
Anchor holds the bridge in place
Through winter's long and frozen grace
Rust blooms like a lichen trace
Patience written on its face
Taxus baccata stands nearby
Dark green needles pierce the sky
Canal water black and deep
Anchor wakes while cities sleep
Anchor holds the bridge in place
Through winter's long and frozen grace
Rust blooms like a lichen trace
Patience written on its face
Sphagnum moss on iron flange
Slow growth in a patient range
Gulls cry out in gray morning
Chain links sing a metal warning
Xylem flows in silent dark
Phloem moves through iron bark
Cambium rings mark every year
Steel and root both persevere
Spring will break the frozen lock
Life returns to canal dock
Cyclists pass on cobblestone
Anchor stands but not alone
Roots embrace the rusted knee
Symbiosis wild and free
Anchor holds the bridge in place
Through winter's long and frozen grace
Rust blooms like a lichen trace
Patience written on its face
Fog lifts slow on Keizersgracht
Sun touches steel with golden catch
Anchor breathes in warmer air
Life persists beyond despair
Anchor holds the bridge in place
Through winter's long and frozen grace
Rust blooms like a lichen trace
Patience written on its face
Iron patience iron grace
Holding fast in time and space
Roots and iron intertwined
Spring arrives on scheduled time