Going To the River

Smiling up the long, dirt road smiling down her heavy load up and down she goes her day basket balanced splinters pain quickening her pace to the river Torch of island burns, she goes flesh is charred to brittle bones murky river flows through town cupped in hands, to lips then down to the infant nursing near the river sing lullabies to children's ears her babe cries feebly with no tears she wipes away her splintered fear she wipes away her smile dear but keeps it safe to walk again a basket balanced on her head hastening her need at the river