Flood By Karen Ely
A riddle is a bridge.
A bridge to the truth,
arching over the angry, churning river
that is our nation’s canker.
The howling denials
humiliating trials
of fact versus fiction
0ur country’s affliction.
And the riddle is this:
What lies on the other side?
A people of unity,
Indivisible
or a new status quo
leaving gospel invisible
As we strive
To thrive
Keep hope alive
Compromise.
Calm the beast and keep the peace.
Cross over that muddy sludge
On a one lane bridge
Feet dry
Expectations high.
Looking for the promised land,
The pot of gold,
The rainbow’s end.
Yet the river remains.
Always raging
Turning the soil
Trumpers loyal
Ready to spill over the banks
and flood the fields
of honest, hard-won crops.
The hatred never really stops.
Perhaps we need a dam.
Karen Ely was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Upon graduating from UC Davis, she worked in San Francisco and New York City in corporate finance. After a 30-year career as a mom and “professional” volunteer in Scottsdale, AZ, Karen returned to her beloved hometown in Sonoma County.
She delights in difficult crossword puzzles, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and traveling with her husband (of 35 years) James. Karen has been published in The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Discoveries, The Write Spot: Reflections, The Write Spot: Possibilities, and The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing (all available on Amazon).
