Far beyond the city edge
in the valley hills
there’s a riverbend
that divides the silt—
let it carry you to wild lands
let it slake your heartaches
.
We’ll curl by the shore of stones and feel the glow of moon upon
our shoulders
.
Unhide your heart reveal to me
your core of lightning
and I’ll unveil
to you my core
of iron
.
Then we’ll know the truth behind the mystery that causes us
to wonder
.
Then we’ll know the truth behind the pulse that draws the two of us
together
.
We’ll curl on the shore of stones and feel the glow of moon upon
our shoulders
and feel the gentle pulls of lovers touching souls in the river
just the gentle pull of lovers touching souls in the river...
.
If you stay or if you go at least we’ll come to know each other
.
2020
About the Creator
Justin Keeling
A systems thinker set to the task of disillusioning and reconciling a fragmented world through art, design, music, and story.
I sing for the dryads who spring through city sidewalks.
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Comments (1)
There’s something quietly magnetic about this piece—the river feels less like a place and more like a truth you’re willing to step into. Lines like “your core of lightning” against “my core of iron” carry such a grounded intimacy, like two different strengths finally recognizing each other without trying to dominate or soften. I also love the repetition of curling by the shore; it gives the poem a cyclical calm, as if the connection exists whether the moment lasts or not. By the end, that acceptance—if you stay or if you go—lands gently but firmly, and it lingers in a very human way.