An Old Sword, Held by a Lady of the Water

A Free Verse Poem

There’s a river, soft and sweet
in winter it runs beneath ice,
beside it lives a woman with
a thousand names, her smile like
snow-melting sun, a grace given
only when she wishes.

She gave me a kiss, and the shape
of her sillouette burned into my
memory like hickory smoke
into a fireplace.

In return I left my heart
in her hands.

She cleaned a blade for me
in the water, “for you to carry
while you walk about the woods”
she sung “to carry you safely
back to me.”