trauma is a River
after the Flood has raged
through, devastating
the life in its path.
the Waters subside.
the River calms, welcomes.
everything seems okay.
but it's not.
the force of it remains.
years later, mighty Trees
still lay uprooted, bent over,
smashed to pieces.
debris is everywhere.
this River I know doesn't
look like herself anymore,
she has a new face.
the old River will never
be seen again - parts of her
have washed away.
some of her animals drowned.
but some parts of her
survived - the high Ground,
the deep Roots,
the strongest of her intact.
Birds return… slowly.
Rapids sing in changed tones.
new paths are carefully
trusted under foot.
same River, but different.
forever changed; no going back.
only moving forward from
what She has become.
we died that night.
drowned with the animals.
now watch how we
are reborn.
*Poems and artworks by Sara Kian-Judge 2021
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