mortal
Carried by the current,
Smashed and thrashed and bashed against the banks.
This river drags me forward, gasping and flailing,
Over the rapids, through the eddies,
Relentlessly pulling me through waters so deep they appear still and tranquil.
It never stops moving.
Try as I might
To anchor myself to the shore,
To curl my tail around a rock to keep from drowning,
Or to float, face up, hair spread, enjoying the gentle drift.
The undertow will take me over the edge
Whether I will or no.
And will I see the waterfall?
Will I hang briefly motionless in the air,
Weightless for moments like hours?
Will I plummet facing forward, eyes open,
To crash on the rocks below?
Or will I be drifting happily in the current,
Drowsing and oblivious,
And melt beneath the water with a smile on my lips?
© mjc 27 March 2013
