I place the paper boat on the water,
Fingers lingering to support the transition from steady to moving
And wait.
She sways unsteady at first,
I hear the loud cries of “comeback”, “don’t let go,” “we cannot part”
The air above the bathtub is still
And she stays and I stay bathing in her initial cries
We aren’t ready and anyone can see it
I pick her back up gently
Hoping to find the old, the same,
The comfortable
But she is changed, her bottom somehow fragile and firm
I can feel her arms yearning for release
Thus
I place the different, same paper boat back on the water
This time she begins her sail,
It’s slow
But
Hard to miss
That constant movement away from me
I have pangs to pull her back,
Hold her in my hands again,
But I also know release is what we both need today.
