The Sea

We came to the riverbank as children,
Naïve and young,
Naked and innocent.

One by one, we looked into the water;
In pairs, in groups of two and seven,
We leapt across the ravine
To the other side.

In that haze, we felt shame;
In that moment, we felt ourselves
And each other,
And felt alone.

We came to the riverbank as adults,
Jaded and aged,
Nude and corrupt.

One by one, we looked into the water.
In pairs, we dove into the muddy depths,
Our feet sucked into the mire
As we reached out to the sea.

In the quiet, we felt alive;
In that moment, we felt ourselves
And each other
And felt entwined.

We came to the riverbank as nothing;
We came to the riverbank as all.
What had been us
Eroded and evolved into one
And we became the river.

In that moment, we felt ourselves
And each other.

And we became the sea.

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