message in a bottle

  

     Took a walk down to the river.

    A bottle in one hand, a note in the other.

    A Bible verse in my head: Matthew 29:32

    "Jesus stopped and called them. (two blind men)

     'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked."

     This question, burning in my heart.

    Jesus, you know me. you created me. of course you know what I want.

     Yet you still want me to speak the words?

      You really want to know what I want, what I really really want?

      ok, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want.

     Reaching the muddy river bank, I kneel down and read my note.

     Scrawled in fresh ink, like blood. I read it aloud

     Against the roar of the rushing waters.

     I look around, making sure no one heard me.

     Nature is good.  Even the birds aren't tweeting this one.

     I stuff the note into the bottle.  Throw the bottle into the wild white froth.

     Watch it bob in the foaming rapids, 

     then catch the current and start floating away.

      My eyes rest on a whirlpool, spinning beside a large rock

     As I stare into the dark swirling waters, 

      I think I see...is it, a hand...reaching up...no! it can't be...

      a ghostly white hand reaching up as if to grab me

      to pull me down, down, down

      to the bottom of the river

       No!!  I laugh it off, some kind of imagination...

       I look back down the river.  

       Can barely see the bottle now, rolling and careening around rocks

       as it travels to its destination.

      I quickly turn and begin climbing back up the river bank.

       Job complete.  Jesus will find my note.

        As the sound of the water subsides 

        the whirlpool

        stops spinning.