● POETRY IN VOICE
THE RIVER TO THE SEA
By Nadia Irshād
New Paragraph
the stretch of earth between the river and the sea
was in love
she was in love with both waters
and so she remained a maiden forever
the river made her giggle
he lightened her heart with his playful manner
for him, fish would jump and her grasses would sway
the sea captured her, as if ensnared in a net
he sang to her when the moon was full
the sea would serenade her
the river would sleep until just before dawn
when he would whisper wake wake wake
until the sun warmed her skin and her eyes opened
she was worn, primordial, an ancient
within her, she held every secret
her heart beat where the light of the worlds ascended
she slept in the crevices where Mary sat
she couldn't choose between them
they both needed her more than she needed them
when it rained both sea and river would grow jealous
when the water that washed her skin trickled into them
both the sea and the river felt rapture
they'd swear they'd never known pleasure before just then
neither the sea nor the river knew of the existence of the other
the river believed he was earth's everything
and the sea thought the shoreline and the beaches were all she was
the stretch of earth between the river and the sea
was in love
she was in love with both waters
and so she remained a maiden forever