A Temporary Parting (present/past)

I recognize the boy climbing up the bank on the other side.
Turning, he calls to me, over the rush of the river,
points to where a waterfall waits, high, and deadly.

He gestures not to worry, but the current is fierce here,
and I’m no longer the swimmer I was in my childhood.

We’re on a countdown, this child and I, but I’ll wait here awhile,
on this side of the river for a time yet and think about the swim.

Finally, giving up on me, the child waves goodbye, turns, and disappears,
but I’ll see him again when I’ll have no choice but to follow.

* * * * *

I recognized the boy climbing up the bank on the other side.
Turning, he called to me, over the rush of the river,
pointed to where a waterfall waited, high, and deadly.

He gestured not to worry, but the current was fierce here,
and I was no longer the swimmer I was in my childhood.

We were on a countdown, this child and I, but I waited here awhile,
on this side of the river for a time yet and thought about the swim.

Finally, giving up on me, the child waved goodbye, turned, and disappeared,
but I would see him again when I’d have no choice but to follow.