The River

In response to Fairy Flood by Seamus Heaney

Rolling

Controlling

Threatening

Inviting.

Will the River be my Keeper?

My cleanser?

My destroyer?

I only dip my toe in -

     fearful –

     careful.

She laps and tickles my toes and the encouragement is enough –

    Knee deep -

    Thigh deep -

    Waist deep –

Being borne on the impetus of her flow …

Freely allowing her to take me and

abandoning my own will.

The stones hurt my feet.

Yet I keep wading in,

The fear replaced by joy,

The pain overcome by the pleasure –

the freedom –

the recklessness.

The River turns cold.

The clouds appear, taking away the warmth of the sun.

I start to shiver.

I need to get out.

I clamber onto solid ground.

I bind my bleeding feet

and dry my emerging tears.

The River flows on …

downstream …

towards I know not what …

without me …