Playing happily in the rivers edge,
Young girl and cousins galore,
Family tradition always
Fourth of July at the river park.
Just jumping and splashing.
Not in too deep,
Then the bottom falls out.
Going down deep,
Head under water
Fear, cannot swim,
Sinking ever sinking.
What happened to the bottom,
Was not that deep?
Going to drown,
But somebody saw it.
Fast swimmer they were,
Pulled me out of that hole,
Back to the shore,
No lasting harm done.
Next year the same annual party,
At the same treacherous deep.
A young cousin did slip,
Off the bank while playing
He swam to the shore,
His brothers cheering him on,
Thought he was fine,
But the deep had other plans,
Nothing to hold onto,
He slipped off the bank,
The current dragged him away,
To it's treacherous depths.
His dad tried to save him,
His mother turned white,
''Twas no use for the river
Wanted Tom for itself.

Laura R
1-25-03