Aewyna

By Erica Coakley

The wind is the wind,

The earth is the earth,

A bird is a bird,

The ocean is the ocean.

The lake was to be nothing but a lake.

She was expected to be bright,

And so she tried.

As darkened clouds slunk through the sky,

She clung to the short gleams of light peeking through.

With her trembles she made herself shimmer dimly below the veiled sun.

And, oh, how she wished to shine as the ocean did.

She was expected to be calm,

And so she tried.

As the winds began to blow fiercely,

She fought to remain still.

Only allowing the smallest quiver upon her waters.

And, oh, how she yearned to thrash about as the ocean did.

She was expected to be willing host to invaders of her waters,

And so she tried.

The invaders swam about through her waters; shifting her insides as they pleased,

Any form of compelling desire to resist their motions was subdued.

And, oh, how she desperately wanted to reject the invaders as the ocean did.

She was expected to be unchanging,

And so she tried.

As mountains aged and crumbed, the rains raged and lashed out,

She took the assaults within herself, cradling them tenderly in her bed.

And, oh, how she desired to banish the weight as the ocean did.

She was expected to appease all those who gazed upon her waters,

And so she tried.

The waters danced to raise her sands over the flaws,

All evidence of discomfort and incursions alike were hidden beneath the mounds,

And, oh, how she longed to thrash about and expose her grievances as the ocean did.

She was expected to ignore the thundering call of the sea,

And so she tried.

The waves demanded to be heard, straining to reach out to the lake from beyond the mountains,

A yearning settled within her waters as the sea’s cries reached her.

And, oh, how she needed to respond to roar of the ocean.

She was expected to confine herself to nothing more than a lake,

And so she failed.

As she thrashed her waters and carved her way through the mountains,

Her banks overflowed and met the waves of the sea,

And, oh, how the ocean revered her for finally embracing freedom.