Is it too trite
to write that the river
is a metaphor
for our love?

And to use the old saying that
you never step into the same river twice?
Because it is

Just

Like

That.

Driving through the dark Ozarks night
following the hollows along the river,
a young couple in our headlights-
wet, walking hand in hand-
coming up from a midnight swim.

Suddenly, I am transported-
I am that girl-
shy, bold and holding your hand,
feeling your wet skin for the first time,
the rush of the river,
the rush of the new.

Then, I laugh, seeing myself
reflected in your laughing eyes
illuminated by the dashboard lights.
We drive towards home
splashing in the river.