the stream

Barefoot on the banks of a stream I once knew long ago, I stared at the water, dark and blue below. What I was looking for - my face, my faith - I do not know. All I found was a bucket, brown weeds and a bottle without a message, so I slowly dipped a toe into the dew, stirring the cool calmness into a song of circlets. The stream called for my whole body. 'Swallow me' I said and I slipped naked into her bed. 'Swallow me', but she would not. She proved to be shallow.