Oars in the Water
By Peter Tjeerdsma

Life has been a whitewater rafting trip
for the personality I wear at this time.

Restful pools of chilling depth
. . . relaxing . . .
just long enough
to dump me over another fall
through an uncontrollable attachment
I cling to my raft, my identity that bouys me up.

Nothing works
no goal but to get through
hands slipping on my ego-paddle
I push away from a huge rock rearing up in my path
only to slam backwards into a small one.

Dazed, I recall I am not alone in this raft.
The guide says, "Relax,
keep your oars in the water,
look downstream,
and simply steer."