I pause and remember
By the swinging bridge
And drooping canopy
I used to stretch my legs
In harmony with branches
Across the river’s currents
The rippling melody
Soothing my tired frame
And the shallow waters
Cleansing college age concerns
I rocked those sun-kissed days
As I rested on uncomfortable bark
Dreaming of teal and lace
And lights in windows
Now its limbs don’t strain
To reach the other side
They’ve been cut back
And there is no arch
To climb barefoot and rest upon
The suspense and exhilaration gone
Would I fall?
I watch her struggle down the path
Lonely steps lead to middle
Ginger waves tucked loosely
Under baseball cap
Shoulders bent
From the weight she carries
Eyes clouded with gray
Tears streaming down
Silently…I wait
For younger me
Until she straightens and leaves
I take her place
And seek the same
Eyes resting on treasure
Rocky bottom
Healing at the river
Coming together…thirty years later
Unafraid to fall
Beneath the drooping canopy
~Lily Mae