5.25 miles
Mississippi River road path north, minneapolis side/Lake Street Bridge Mississippi River road path north, st paul side/Franklin bridge/Mississippi River road path south
poetic form: a variation of anaphora called epistrophe
Start your run by the Mississippi River
at the 36th street parking lot.
Run south along the Mississippi River
on the path where bikes are not
allowed. The path closest to the Mississippi River
is not for wheels, but for feet.
Keep on the path for about a mile
then turn up to the bridge on lake street.
Cross the bridge over the Mississippi River,
take the steps at the end of the bridge down to the ground.
Run right up the hill on the St Paul side,
on a path shared with bikes. Here, separate paths can’t be found.
After about 10 minutes on the path,
depending on how fast your legs can deliver
you, you’re back on the Minneapolis side
without crossing back over the Mississippi River.
And back to a separate path,
just for those who walk or run.
Stay on that path by the Mississippi river
until you arrive at the bridge on Franklin.
The path on the bridge over the Mississippi river
curves up and then gently down.
Look to your left as you run across
for a beautiful view of downtown.
At the end of the bridge,
run left down the hill
going towards the Mississippi river.
Then turn right. You’ll run on this until
you reach the 36th street parking lot again.
On the way, you might encounter
a pleasing variety of dogs on the path by the Mississippi river
and annoying people who obliviously saunter.
But you have only a mile left
so, who cares about walkers without a clue?
Besides, you’re running by the Mississippi river,
something you always want to do.