Swallowed By The River
She’s not had such fun
in a long while.
Donny is like a dolphin
in the water,
all slick and oily skinned,
diving down and up
and showing off.
C’mon! C’mon’!
he shouts.
He dives again,
this time staying down longer
Five…six…seven seconds
she counts.
And up into the softening summer’s light
snowy head darkened
with water.
I’ll beat my record this time!
And down again:
Five…six…seven…
Eight… nine… ten.
She feels a stab of fear
but shakes it off when his jubilant head shoots up once
more like a too-quick birth.
He’s there again laughing
and pleased as punch!
On his face in the water
just floating there.
Donny won’t remember
this moment when he goes quiet and swallows the river.
