He runs down to the river I mean really runs so hard the dust flicked up by his rubber thongs partially obscures the back of him his excitement is palpable his delight contagious ah, the river slow lazy fat and brown cool wet deep and inviting on a relentless 40 degree day
as he sheds first his bucket hat then his T shirt and flips the flipping flopping thongs from his feet he lets out an exultant “Whoop!” of sheer unadulterated anticipatory pleasure as he leaps off the steep sandy bank defies gravity and launches through the air like a rocket
his board shorts balloon out behind him his pale thin and lanky preadolescent body curls into a foetal position as he flies across the water to execute a classic 12 year old bomb
and i smile and smile all the while I remember this time this place to where I always wanted to return one day with my own child to make it what I always wanted it to be, but never would be for me a life disrupted, interrupted father and son I am content
Where the river meets the sea I’ll wait patiently until your ship comes in carrying you to my smiles we’ll walk the miles and miles to a place to begin again
upriver to where small streams become the water of river dreams where meadows grow green under skies of sun and thunder there we’ll settle on high ground ever fertile and sound
we’ll labour to work the earth and give a family birth a family that will grow to work together and sow under that mantle of blue and grey after years and many a day we will turn to each other and say
the life we chose has been a good one as good as the river is long to its banks we will continue to go hand in hand watching the river flow
The river of love that runs through my heart is a river that flows straight to you sweetheart and when it comes time for me to depart my spirits will be high as I impart my gladness at receiving love’s joyful dart from you to pierce my once armoured heart
this river rolls alluringly deep and slow so full and powerful I cry take me take me river before I should die take me dear river to wherever you go I’ll ride you there fast I’ll ride you there slow and river my river I’ll love you always I’ll drift on and caress you the rest of my days I’ll wind through your meanders and sing with your songs we’ll seed fertile plains and fill billabongs river my lover take me I’m yours through all seasons we'll wander I’ll never ship oars
Lisa prompted we poets with pilgrimage, wandering or walkabout for the dVerse challenge this week. I have recently been wandering, on walkabout, writing about rivers, and so came to #04.
I’ll ride the river to your door strong and silent I will come to you I’ll wind my way from where I was lost the river will deliver and save me too and when becalmed by your charms once again after all this time I’ll float leisurely then outstrectch my arms to again touch the flows that sooth me I’ll let the gentle eddies turn me around my turbulence washed away I’ll settle on the sandy riverbank with you forever and a day
