Open Poetry #42 |
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Rafting the Arkansas With Karen |
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Jaime Fradera Senior Member
since 2000-11-25
Posts 843Where no tyranny is tolerable |
Rafting the Arkansas With Karen I am walking through wet, shifting grass but can not keep my balance. The air is damp and brisk. An event has been scheduled in the park. Paul comes to me, jovial, with a pair of shoes. I put them on and can walk again. It is mid-afternoon, and we are "rafting" up a river through the forest, except that the "raft" I am lying on is actually Karen's body. I feel her rippling beneath me, supple and strong, the mountain wind whipping in my hair. I should be terrified of drowning, but I am with her, and I am not afraid. I wonder' how could we be doing this without using any equipment? We talk for several hours, laughing, sliding over boulders in the stream. It is now late afternoon, and time to start back down; but we must switch positions to raft downstream the other way. I am afraid of drowning but she says I will not sink. She sits astride me and I float! Her weight on me is full and reassuring, and I am not afraid; because I am with her. We begin to glide down-stream and ground upon a rock. (well, it was my fault ... ...) After a good deal of shoving and pushing, I get us off the rock and we are on our way again. I swish my arms above my head, picking up more speed, ... swish, ... swish ... I feel the water, cold, sliding underneath me, the bracing mountain wind, whipping in my hair. Swish, ... we are moving faster, ever faster, now; the wind whirling to a gale. ... swish, ... her body in synchrony with mine. Soon we are coasting at impossible speed. and it seems we are about to loose control. Then, as if nothing at all were happening, we start talking about whether the Park Service charges a fee for rafting-- or whether rafting is really free? ... Our group did get some instruction that first time, part of the CCB program, etc. But I'm sure that, ordinarily, there must have been a fee, or something ... I am alone. |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
Dear Jaime, I felt like I was rafting too there with you, that was a wonderful reading/riding experience! Totally awesome! Love. Margherita ![]() |
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LadyTom Member
since 2008-02-29
Posts 353LA, CA |
very good. Enjoyed. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Jaime, one has to appreciate the dream of life in order to appreciate life's dreams... ![]() |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Sounds like fun...until the alone...James |
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