Vol 4 No 1 2010

Supplication to Water

Afflict me, for I have squandered you on grass
green as money, then cursed you during the draught.

Rinse out my filthy mouth with soap suds.
Abase me and give me a basin.

I have lain down with dogs and consorted with pigs.
Knock me over with fierce waves and splash me.

Load up my bathing suit with rough sand.
Cast me ashore naked and newly abluted.

I have polluted the pristine lake, peed in the pool,
and stolen polliwogs from your pond.

I have scorned the tuna and consumed the babies,
built a city upon you, and prayed for your conversion

to wine. I have failed to hold you throughout the night.
Put a drop in my bucket. Spend me like legal tender.

Catch me between the devil and the deep deep blue.
Let me enter the same river twice, for I am grungy.

Launder me. Liquidate me. Moisten my dry eyes.
Convert my frozen heart to cold hard cash.

Diane Lockward