PA Golden Shovel

River Rafting

We drift down the river in rubber rafts, the

currents gently carrying us as we bob along laughing, feeling free

 until the water turns white and we wield our oars like wings of a wounded bird.

Our captain shouts orders, “All ahead! Get it together! Get down!” The raft leaps

ahead and suddenly we’re drifting daintily on. 

Then we hit another rush and abruptly one of ours tumbles out of the

raft. We surge ahead, unable to go back

and get him. Such a helpless feeling. But then folks of

another raft pull him in. Rescued! Then as the

stream steadies, we pull our lost one back in from the other raft. The wind

kicks up, the sky darkens, but what’s a little rain when we’re already wet? We stop and

pull the heavy rafts on the mucky bank. We eat, talk and laugh. No raft floats

further as we take a break. The guide rehearses the signals because downstream
is the big challenge. We can bow out and walk in the woods and wait till

the others make it through the rapids. But we, the adventurers, sally forth. The

water churns, soon we’re in the midst. Violent force tosses two of us into the current.

Our comrades pull us in by our vests. Then more rapids. Victorious! Soon our adventure ends.

(From I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou)