Literary Nonfiction. Poetry. OLD RIVER, NEW RIVER, as a literal miscellany, comprises a gathering of short essays, memoirs, contemplative notes, and even a few poems. Various well-chosen corners of North America, including the author's hometown, provide grist for these meditations and speculations. Some celebrate brief moments of revelation. Some ponder the elusiveness of history, the songs of birds, or the dimensions of place. Several reflect on facets of writing (both prose and poetry): how the art arises, is induced by the world, and how it functions once it is fledged.