Illustration by Paul Campbell © 2006

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Flood

by Margot Miller © 2006

 

It's been raining for days, more than
a week and in my heart there too
the water is rising past
the levees, past the streets, the river
is widening;

when will it crest, will it ever
be over, and what about
the next time? Will one storm
come up the bay as another crosses
the plains to hover over
the mountains? What if

two storms meet here in this place where
we stand stranded, drained
of all energy as the perishing
liquid fills everything up and up, past
door sills now, flooding
our interior, ruining

everything, stealing hope and leaving
a muddy residue of aching
defeat. What will the high water mark
recall when the flood recedes? Will anything
ever be the same?