ELVES LIVE  IN THE LAND     
     BEYOND  THE GREAT DAM.       
   IT WAS BUILT  IN  THE LATE SIXTIES.  
    THE ELVES CAME  TO US THEN.     
                      
                      
 THEY  WERE  VERY  MANIPULATIVE,  AND  WE 
 CAME TO TRUST THEM.           US 
 KIDS WOULD  PLAY  DOWN AT THE WATER EVEN 
 THOUGH  WE WERE NOT ALLOWED.       
     SOMETIMES  THE SLUICE WOULD  CLOSE 
 ENTIRELY, AND  THE  RIVER  AT  THE  DAMS 
 FOOT WOULD  DRY UP, REVEALING  THE ROCKY 
 WATER   GARDEN  THAT  HAD  BEEN   HIDDEN 
 BENEATH, AND WE WOULD GO THERE.      
       BEFORE THE DAM  OPENED  AGAIN, 
 THERE WOULD  BE  A SIGNAL, BUT THE ELVES 
 WOULD MAKE US NOT HEAR IT, AND  SUDDENLY 
 WE WOULD  FIND THE WATER RISING, ALREADY 
 AT OUR KNEES.                
                      
   BY THEN THE  ELVES WOULD BE  GONE.