braided streams

lives like braided river streams
flowing, who knows where
in our tiny boats we paddle
without a worldly care,

current pushing left and right
breeze on our skin
wondering where this river flows
would we do it all again,

cast our fate to moving water
like time flowing past
travelers met along the way
friendships made to last,

cross-legged, a gravel bar
driftwood fire, bright
wondering where to spend our lives
where to spend the night,

stretched back, watch the sky
the moon, so close so far
would rather be here, tonight
than any downtown bar,

I watch you skip a stone across
the river, one… two … three…
you turn, three fingers up
smiling back at me,

poke the fire, watch it blaze
the spark of existence
just the right give and take
tension and resistance,

and if this were a fairy tale
fantasy, unfolding
some distant outpost far from fact
who would we be holding…