Photography © Jennifer Matthews

 

This River

It is just a river
a river you stand in or cross
a river with pebbles and boulders
or a river with a smooth surface
and peril underneath
you’ve seen rivers like this on television
where crocodiles wait for
the wildebeests and the zebras and the impalas
dragging them under as they make
their trek
ands death is a gurgling, frenzied finish
but there are other rivers
rivers where there is baptism
in the still water
and you pray this river
is not like that either
you read that even
baptism can be painful
because Someone will ask you to
follow Him
and you really don’t want to
so you say
O Master
I will cross here if I must
but don’t make it a spectacle
where the others will watch and
see me drown
and don’t forget
I did not choose this river
You picked this river
and this river picked me

 

Paul Smith is a civil engineer who has worked in the construction racket for many years. He has traveled all over the place and met lots of people. Some have enriched his life. Others made him wish he or they were all dead. He likes writing poetry and fiction. He also likes Newcastle Brown Ale. If you see him, buy him one. His poetry and fiction have been published in Convergence, Missouri Review, Oddball Magazine and other lit mags.

Poet/Photographer Jennifer Matthews’ poetry has been published in Nepal by Pen Himalaya and locally by the Wilderness Retreat Writers Organization, Midway Journal, The Somerville Times, Ibbetson Street Press and Boston Girl Guide. Jennifer was nominated for a poetry award by the Cambridge Arts Council for her book of poetry Fairy Tales and Misdemeanors. Her songs have been released nationally and internationally and her photography has been used as covers for a number of Ibbetson Street Press poetry books and has been exhibited at The Middle East Restaurant, 1369 Coffeehouses, Sound Bites Restaurant in Somerville and McLean Hospital.