I really love the resolution of the poem.
I love the fact that you made us understand that life is the river.
My little problem comes from thinking that the following lines could have had a little more justification.
"but the stones still aren't floating"
"not illusion"
Other than that I think the emotion and flow came out aptly.

I think the first stanza of this poem is the strongest poetry i have seen from your pen since i first saw a poem. That stanza is to me what good poetry is about. It is in a sense a complete poem, as all the parts in "words of totem pole" by ws merwin

When I stop I am alone
at night sometimes it is almost good
as though I were almost there
sometimes then I see there is
in a bush beside me the same question
why are you
on this way
I said I will ask the stars
why are you falling and they answered
which of us

The first stanza you have written is similar- it suggests while the meaning jumps off the page.
The other stanzas are too pedantic, ultimately concluding humility not illusion reigns supreme.
That is an interesting idea, belief, but as a "truth" it must be proven, even if through poetic devise (symbol or metaphor) ...it comes a little out of nowhere in the poem, it is a conclusion which I cannot feel the weight of in the poem. what is the illusion? what constitutes an act of humility?

Also for me heart being the size of oil filter...as an image the oil filter is too industrial, cold and greasy, and too vague- even the size... an oil filter in a car size?

The sound, the feeling, the idea, the images in our head of the river rising but not the stones as some climb the golden ladder to the stars and others "dig" to the center of the earth...very very powerful poetry. Hard to follow up. But it can be done.
..