Free River

For Ben

Free River

Free River

My river’s flow was always trimmed to cut through marbled stone

No easy course, I’ve no remorse, I made the way my own

No still waters have I known; No silent stream of trickled ease

My river’s home was rugged foam, made murky by disease

Rough rocks there were, that laid my path, assuring I’d arrive

To peaceful ponds, with leafy fronds to shade, protect and thrive

And as my river sometimes roared and raged across the stones

Churned ‘til smooth beneath my wake, but always leading home.

And when the cloud’s low laying storm, sprayed drops like child’s tears

My river, raised, to clear the haze and climb above my fears

Then burst of sun, the face of God in clear bright sunlit sky

Gave joyful respite in breaths of desperate happiness I’d sigh

I chased the sun ‘til evening came and just around the canyon’s bend

A swirling swell no man could quell, I saw my river’s end.

Last light shown down, the edge was clear as waterfalls will be,

The roughest tide would now subside, my river would run free.