A Story Of Survival Poem by RIC BASTASA

his mother wore white
he was young and compliant
she took him to the river
tied his hands with a blanket
as he woke up from sleep

and then she threw him there

what his mother did not know
was that he already
knew how to swim

and the depth and rage of the river
are no threat to him

his mother did not smile
she meant death

it was over
he knew how to get out from the
tie of the white blanket

he escaped and swam
to the other side of the river

climbed the mountain
and then to the eyes of his mother
he was gone

he started life all over again
with another name.