Getting Wet, Letting Go
by Nikki Hunt
I went to the creek today to salve my soul
and ease my overfull heart
I brought with me bits and pieces of my old life
small scraps of confetti scooped up in my hand
I stood in the icy cold water and released a fistfull
“I wish you well” I said
I walked over to a patch of wildness
and threw out another handful
They scattered onto the green grass
and the damp earth under a tangled log
“May you go back to the earth and grow something better”
Sitting on the rocky shore to dry my toes in the sun
I noticed that some of the paper had sunk
and lay nestled among the rocks
The rest were floating upstream
opposite my intention
I laughed and raised my face to the warm sun
After a time, the upstream bits found their way
to the downstream current
and flowed on out of sight
with the ducks and the wind
A few bits circled back in
caught in a circular loop
to sink or to try again
I laid back into a gritty, rocky embrace
and let the sounds of rushing water quietly caress
my bruised and battered spirit
cont'd
con
con