Photo: Beyond The Waterfall; via Unsplash, MJ Tangonan.jpg
Don’t fear the waterfall
For years, it has rained an alluring presence in your valley
Captivating from the riverside, from a distance
Yet you’ve thought better than to sail closer
Until now
Your boat is sturdy and the coast is fine, you think
You can’t help but wonder what lies beyond the waterfall
The looming feeling as you row toward its wrath
Its torrents sound peaceful one minute, then thunderous the next
A cacophony of nature and its might
You feel every bullet of water pierce your skin
You decide that this was a mistake, but you must row forward
The waterfall’s roar begins to quiet
Hail turns to mist, and pain turns to memories
There are no wounds along your skin, only droplets of what used to be
The floor of your boat is flooded, but nothing more
Your eyes take in the sight of magnificence
The tranquil cave and the forest past it lay comforting hands along your rows
Guiding you to a serenity you never knew on the coast
Untouched grass smiles at the sight of you, finally on this side of your valley
Sunlight greets you with warm kisses
A faint sparkle as it dances along your cheeks, still damp with tears
Your discovery of such peace is finally made
You once feared the waterfall
Now, you welcome its beyond
Danielle Margarite is a third-year Media & Culture major with a Digital Marketing minor. DM968994@wcupa.edu