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.