The River (For Ella)

The River

(For Ella)

The sweet sound

of her sleeping

between white sheets

sun-scented from a noonday sky

She hung them to dry as the wind
whipped and lashed the fairness from her face.

She stared toward the river
feeling it pulling her back
to that day when all above
was blue and still-

Until her heart tore
when she heard his cry
knowing she couldn't save him
from something so deep.