River of My  Life - Beverly Koepplin

I live my life in a river that will carry me to my end.

I have from the day I emerged, wet and wailing,

from my mother’s womb 

and slipped into the river’s welcoming current.

So easily I went from one water life to another, 

it felt like coming home.

Each day at the end of the day’s travels, 

I look back to see how far the river has carried me, 

the rocks I have crossed,

and I am gladdened to see how far I have safely come

and saddened to see how much closer I am to the end.

Sometimes someone joins me in my river’s journey,

and we move along together, 

sometimes touching, sometimes not.

Sometimes they see something shiny in another flow, 

slip out of my stream,

and I never see them again, 

just a shadow floating away then fading.

Sometimes they go past me, 

traveling faster than I can,

and I watch them go, 

helpless to stop them, 

and their end comes too soon.

Those are the times I would cry 

but I have nothing to dry my tears on;

my whole world is water, ever moving on, 

and my tears just fall into the wet.

Sometimes, most often, I drift alone, not happy but content

to watch the banks go by, 

to wonder how long this river will carry me.

Sometimes I bump against the rocks yet move on, battered and bruised.

At the end of those days, I give my thanks 

to the gracious water gods.

Sometimes I wish 

that there was always someone with me.

When the river water is cold and dark, 

I yearn to feel warm solid flesh.

I want to have someone carry me to land, 

to walk the rest of this journey with me,

our steps in rhythm, 

until we can no longer see the river and I am home again.

***