All The Difference

I was cleaning up my computer, putting random papers and files into the correct spots, and I ran across this poem that I had written in my senior year of high school. I wrote it for an an essay scholarship called All the Difference. I don't think I ever turned it in, but I figure I will post it on here. :) (I'm warning ya it's kinda different...)

The River

Rolling alongside the shore line,

moving swiftly down the bank,

silently taking in whatever splashes its way.

We glide upon it as if it were glass,

with full anticipation,

not knowing what lay in store.

Gathering many rocks,

abruptly turning white,

unexpectedly becoming angry.

It suddenly enlarges,

twists and turns about,

transpires into different colors.

Deepening into the abyss,

beginning to roar as if it had no care in the world,

doing whatever it felt like, with no regard for us.

We could see the boulders,

hear the roar broaden,

feel the rumbling under our feet.

We could see no more,

it became the horizon,

all we could see was white.

A cloud in a stormy day,

a spray from a blender,

connecting to the middle of the earth.

As we got closer, the emotions grew,

we didn’t know what to do,

all we could do was wait.

We came around the bend,

closer to the horizon,

which abruptly crept upon us.

We were finally there,

there was no turning back,

only one way to go.

No longer were we going straight,

going through the familiar place we all knew,

we were stuck.

I could not see,

I could not breathe,

I was alone.

It surrounded me,

swarming around and around,

not letting me out of it’s grasp.

It held tight to me,

not wanting to let me go,

I didn’t know where I was.

Dark was above me,

light was below me,

I tried to get to the light.

I could feel the coldness of the air

strike my face,

like needles hitting the floor.

Looking back,

seeing what I came through,

feeling a sense of relief.

On my back moving fast,

I tried to get my bearings,

no idea where I was.

I heard my name,

I looked in that direction,

swimming to that place.

It was strong,

tried to keep me,

I fought… I won.

Standing on the bank,

watching it swiftly move away,

it forgot I was even there.

But I didn’t forget,

I remember everyday,

and that has made all the difference.