a walk with my father

my soul called me to the hills today,
and there i met my father,
walking among the pines....

together we turned and watched
the river tumble, almost flinging itself
down its path
in the gorge below,

past piles of white tree bones
tossed carelessly to one side,
over boulders standing pointlessly smack
in the middle of the oncoming rush...
impeding nothing....

but causing a song of reckless wonder to ring up
over the hills....

we stood this way for a long while:
his arm circled around my waist,
my head sometimes resting on his shoulder....

and he whispered words of comfort into my ears....

told me to remember the river-song inside of me;
reminded me i was raised on the scent of pines,
and the solid bones of mountain stone....

and that freedom, laughter, and love make up the
chemistry of my blood....

'my daughter,' he said, 'you are equal...'

'you are deserving...'

'you don't need to plan...'

'you don't need to be ashamed....'

and with his breath in my ear,
and the memory of his touch on my hair,
i turned my face up to the softly burning sky
and knew that

now
he could finally give me everything
my heart
has ever desired....

which, father,
has only
and always

ever been

your love....

________________
© 2010
Beth Anne Boardman