The Girl in the River
by Sherry Campbell

What do you see, as I wave to you from
The river?
Have you watched me navigate
The currents?
Marveled at my graceful step,
Laughed at my clownish antics?
What do you see?

Long ago, I sat on the shore
Frightened. Stuck.
Immobilized by experience,
By pain.
I had no choice, they said.
The river is too deep. It will take you down.

I thought:
What if I placed a stone
In the shallowest spot?
I could stand on it.
I would be safe, even as
The river surged around me.
And do I did.

Then I found another stone and another.
And another.
Slowly, I created a path of stones just above
The river’s surface.
It began to take me away from the shore,
Away from the pain.
Away from those who said I could never leave.

In time, I began to live on that path –
Knew where all
aCautious not to slip.
Wary when the river was stormy.
Learned to dance, to sing.
Learned to live.
Others noticed and said
‘oh look at that strong, happy girl,
How she dances through life on her path!’

That is what they see.
The girl navigating her way
Along the stones she has placed
In the river.