The river down

absolution in the undertow

A journey downstream. Of friends in an unfortunate situation. The river offered a solution to their godless drama. Forgivness, however, wasn’t the river’s to grant…

I was inspired to start this after seeing the images by wildflower. At first I responded with flashes of prose, snips of poetry.

lost in pools

the clouds in skies

you made from oceans

More images drifted into view and I thought: let’s see if there’s a story to be told…

Wonderful things can happen in this place so thanks to them for responding.

Now, down we go…

The river, down

steel steam

front fogged the neon

radio waves filled the cabin

yet no sound settled

on the backseat’s crumpled sheets

we turned to silence

and off

and to the river, down

---

we struggled

under slumbers

dragged down, covered

dusted with winter petals

descended of deep sea skies

spluttering, exhausted

the car left us

painted with something unwelcome

---

ankle deep

and up to our necks in this

---

we launched

eased fears

did nothing for the spiralling guilt

in eddies slipped black beneath

flaked bark and Tycho pulled

and leaves followed, drifting witnesses

no lake of sorrow could eclipse

this foolish act

---

someone spoke

half heard

accusations from tumbling roots

shadows tracked our moonlit thoughts

under our boots, laced in matted carpet fibre

were you with us, still?

peaceful, grateful even

for your release

---

lights ahead

farther, farther

no soil to hold our guilt

no exhumed strata to evidence

we knew

we’d slipped long before the river

before the act

our dry eyes and hands felt nothing

The river, down by Tate Ellis

All images by wildflower