Riverbed

The river flows, swift and strong.

Resting beside the pool I lie

Listening to the rapid’s song

Whilst the river flows on by.

Reflections mimic each move I make;

Dispassionate, distorted, and wild.

Warped by ripples on the lake,

Somehow the water feels defiled

By my presence on the riverbank.

The sunlight dances on a sunken bed

Of all the bones from those who sank.

I wish I lay down there instead.

Cradled by the river’s soft embrace,

I know I won’t be here for long,

And I sink below the surface.

Here at least, I can do no wrong.

When they find me, weeks from now

I wonder if they’ll want to know.

Will they wonder why, and how

Of all the ways in which to go

And why a person wants to die

It was on the riverbed I chose to lie.