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River Rising

RIVER RISING

you creep up to my feet
after days and days
of rain (not forty days, 
forty nights), but biblical
nonetheless.
you beckon me to perform
a virginia woolf, to slide
a stone into my pocket
and dip myself 
into your healing
rush of silt and mud.

it is a possibility,
it is inviting,
but there are no stones
on the shore.
you have washed
them all away.
you have taken
even the possibility
of taking a swim
away from me.
(you cannot (will not) be forgiven).

i have thought about it.
thought about accepting
your invitation, but
you have promised me
nothing in return.
not even the possibility
of spitting me out
whole, bruised,
horribly damaged.
perhaps, you should have offered
me the chance to rise up, like you,

like lazarus.  horribly damaged,
yes, but a second chance,
nonetheless.

Copyrighted
March 13, 2011

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  1. Date: 10/18/2012 9:03:00 PM

    JIm, here I am with a be-lated :-) congratulations with your wonderful win in the " April, 2011 Contest " It is very nice to see you on this winning list..*'.*'.*' hip hip hooray. Good night :-) always~ PD

  1. Date: 10/27/2011 8:10:00 PM

    Heartfelt and awesome imagery! Congratulations on your winnings! Well deserved.

  1. Date: 10/9/2011 6:15:00 AM

    Beautiful poem painting a clear picture. I do have comments on the way brackets are used. The first closing bracket is behind "nights", but should be behind "nonetheless"; that way the whole sentence between brackets belongs together. Further down you have brackets within brackets, which I do not like. The bottom-line is that as a rule I do not like parentheses in poems.

  1. Date: 9/18/2011 5:51:00 AM

    Wonderful visuals in this poem, I felt I was there. Stunning.

  1. Date: 9/10/2011 9:14:00 PM

    Amazing imagery! Congratulations on a well-deserved win, Jim. Annalise

  1. Date: 8/28/2011 9:54:00 AM

    CONGRATULATIONS~~~~really an amazing and well-deserved win~~~*-*junjun~~~~smile~~~~

  1. Date: 8/27/2011 8:36:00 PM

    congratulations on this win! well done. Lee

  1. Date: 8/24/2011 3:47:00 PM

    Wow. Rivers run deep with this amazing flaming write. Ode to you dear Jim for such a sensation stirred in poetry. Vie.

  1. Date: 8/23/2011 7:59:00 PM

    Congrats Jim on your wonderful win in PS International Contest ..dynamic piece luv..

  1. Date: 8/23/2011 4:07:00 PM

    Congrats Jim on your finish in the poetry soup contest, no small accomplishment. God Bless. Vince

  1. Date: 8/23/2011 3:42:00 PM

    Congratulations April, 2011 4th Place Contest Winner! Caryl Ramsdale

  1. Date: 8/23/2011 7:43:00 AM

    Congratulations on your placement in PoetrySoup's International Poetry Contest Jim. I am very happy for you. Love, Carol

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 4:39:00 PM

    Congratulations Jim on your big win in the International Contest.Enjoyed.

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 2:41:00 PM

    ''perhaps you should have offered me a chance to rise up like you''....:)...loved reading..and congratulations to you for your win, Jim....

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 12:35:00 PM

    Congratulations on the fourth place win this international contest, Jim

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 10:48:00 AM

    A great job, Jim. I enjoyed your poem. Enjoy your winnings. Big smile. Agape, Moses

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 10:05:00 AM

    Congratulations Jim on your fabulous Soup win with this wonderful write. Enjoy your honor, I enjoyed the read. Caryl

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 9:51:00 AM

    What an excellent verse, Jim. So happy to see your winning in the Soup Admin's contest. Congratulations! Love, Carolyn

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 8:07:00 AM

    Congrats on your success..Sara

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 8:05:00 AM

    This is very intense, Jim. Many congrats on your amazing win in poetry soup international contest. *Cheers*

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 3:28:00 AM

    Congratulations on a most deserved win Jim. Your imagery is just outstanding!

  1. Date: 8/22/2011 12:13:00 AM

    Congratualtions Jim on your great win!!! With Love, Pravs.

  1. Date: 8/21/2011 11:46:00 PM

    Great job. Congrats.

  1. Date: 8/21/2011 11:22:00 PM

    Powerfull narrative indeed. Many congratulations on your SUPER WIN in the Poetry Soup International Competition. Elaine

  1. Date: 8/2/2011 10:19:00 AM

    Congratulations on your poetry making it through round one in the PoetrySoup International Poetry contest Jim. I wish you the best in the final round. Love, Carol

  1. Date: 5/31/2011 7:56:00 AM

    Congratulations Jim on your well deserved feature this week. Love, Carol

  1. Date: 5/30/2011 6:18:00 PM

    Congratulations on your poem being featured this week, Jim

  1. Date: 4/5/2011 4:44:00 PM

    wow... this carries alot of weight... so far your work has been dark.... lol my favorite

  1. Date: 4/4/2011 4:30:00 PM

    Interesting and creative work..Enjoyed reading this eve..I am glad that I chose this one to read today..Sara