As I went down to the sandy beach,

Looking out o’re the ocean blue…    

I think that seal just waved to me

As he swam by, across my view.

 

As I went down to the river wide,

Watching the current flowing by…

I’m sure that kingfisher waved to me,

Silhouetted against the sky.

 

As I went down to the trickling brook,

Observing leaves on their roller coaster ride…

I know that frog just waved to me,

Right before she jumped to hide.

 

As I went down to the muddy swamp,

Stepping carefully, from stump to rock…

I swear that dragonfly waved to me,

Before it landed on a goldenrod stalk.

 

As I went down in the river to pray,

I peeked downstream to the salty seas.

I peeked upstream past the running brook

To the swamp, and forest with towering trees.

 

As we went down in the river to pray

Studying about the good old way,

I looked around to catch a wave.

Good Lord, show me the way.

 

As we went down in the river to pray,

Studying about the tentative way,

I waved to a stranger, lost, alone.

Good Lord, show me the way.

 

As we went down in the river to pray,

Studying about the raw ragged way,

A stranger caught my eye and waved.

Good Lord, show me the way.

 

As we went down in the river to pray,

Studying about the hopeful way,

We joined our hands; we waved and sang:

Good Lord, show us the way!

 

 

This poem was inspired by the song, “As I Went Down in the River to Pray”. 

I figured that if Balaam’s donkey could talk to him, surely a seal could wave at me!

Earlier today I read Pastor Dave’s booklet, “A Raw, Ragged Openness: Embracing Exile in 2020”.  Small groups start meeting this week for discussion and reflection.

I considered including another verse, next to last:

As we went down in the river to pray,

Studying about the powerful way,

Ruth Bader Ginsburg waved to me.

Good Lord, show me the way.

 

But – One of the biggest impacts of the original song is its steady, consistent, spare simplicity.  Introducing RBG is relevant, but takes away from the consistent simplicity of the poem.  She died on September 18; I decided a tribute to her would fit better in a different set of images.

 

September 20, 2020

BSH