Sandra Hubinger - *

The surrounding timbering abandoned, unleashed
from shells our softest in open air with
sheer skin we still went along the river whose
current set our eyes our heartbeat

Waves crashing off a freight ship reached
us with the hesitation of an unspoken
message which still passed over the knuckles
oozed the retreat from the giant waves

Which, so close to the shore, tinted gravel
and those unsteadied swam along
in the north-treading river that was to us like
swimming uphill in the algae stream

We grabbed onto scraped mud stains
from the cheeks from the river steadily overtaken
overflowed
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