The River

by Deanne Napurano

Knee to knee we weep,

our backs arched like

     slow willow pendulums.

The river shines beneath us,

brackish tears carrying us

half buoyant, half drowned, stuck 

air in our thick throats.

Knee to knee we stand,

elbows locked like

     the grafter’s union,

grotesque and joined without end.

The river rises over us, kind

tears soundless, subtly numbing us.

Our eyes, the sky, the river –

all one, all done, all done.

* * * * *

Deanne Napurano, a New Jersey native, has been an award-winning copywriter for over 25 years. Recently, breast cancer excised its pound of flesh, resetting her writing trajectory. As she healed physically from bilateral mastectomy, she began to focus on more personal creative expression. Napurano is currently working on a new collection of poems that explore loss and the hope of recovery. She holds a BA in English from Drew University and an MA in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. To learn more, visit www.deannenapurano.com.