i saw myself in the river

a child in danger at the waters’ edge
No. 2 from The Children’s Collection

i saw myself in the river,
though scarcely could i swim;
my whole self started to quiver,
while stood i on the brim.
i danced about like a vapour
with hands and feet and eyes,
as floaty as human paper;
the waters were my skies.

at first, i loved the excitement:
it seemed that i could fly!
but when i saw the embankment,
i knew that i could die.
the trees and hilltops were seeming
to make me sail upstream;
how could i stand there daydreaming,
when rightly i should scream!

a soft hand cradled my shoulder
and woke me from my dream;
it was my mom, so i told her
i saw me in the stream.
now there are two floating dancers,
but no more am i scared,
for mom has brought all the answers
to what, at first, seemed weird.

© Copyright 2023 November 14
by Clyve A. Bowen♫