early morning cliff jump

eyes wide & prepared to dare

jumping first & asking questions later

down

down

down

off the cliff on an early july morning

just as dawn breaks

with all the cares & prior frustrations

somehow pressed out from the brain

letting the heart do its work

living on the spur of the

moment

with the cool fresh air

beating against the weight of the face &

nothing but the freezing water below---

glad to have remembered to wear shoes

as that first pang of physical shock

shakes the body young again

with a thrust of positive memories

splashing as quick as the water itself

enveloping like the womb once did

opening up & around

entering into a pure, clean wash

with all the worries cast out even further

as the moment brings an immediacy

of which few experience insist upon

sinking under, but then using all the power of the

upper body to

propel upward

further

further

further

until the head breaks out again

with sunlight & air flushing all over the face

bringing with it the awareness

that the struggle is still there

for the arms must flail in unison

to keep oneself from drowning &

the decision is made to do so,

staying in the game one more day,

fascinated with the early morning cliff jump

looking up to see how far the fall had been

wanting nothing more than to do it all over again.