Riverwalk [text], 2013

'I HAVE CHANCED UPON A WHOLE OTHER WORLD. ONE THAT IS IN FULL VIEW, AND YET SOMEHOW HIDDEN. PEOPLE SEE IT, AND THEY DON'T SEE IT. IT IS WORLD MADE UP OF WATER AND ROCKS AND TREE ROOTS. IT IS A WORLD THAT SEES THE UNDERSIDE OF FOOTPATHS, ROADS AND RAILWAY LINES. IT IS A NETWORK THAT DIVIDES THE COUNTRY IN TO THOUSANDS OF PIECES, A PATCHWORK OF ISLANDS SURROUNDED BY BORDERS OF SHINING WET. IT MOVES ME. TO A DEGREE THAT SURPRISES ME.

STEPPING OFF THE BANK AND ENTERING THIS DOMAIN, I AM AWARE OF THE INTENSE SEPARATION OCCURRING BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE AROUND ME. DOWN AT THIS LEVEL, ALL CONTACT IS SEVERED. THEY STAND ON THE FOOTPATHS AND ROADS, LOOKING DOWN AT ME. I STAND IN THE REFLECTED SKY, LOOKING UP AT THEM. I AM IN THE ROAR OF TRAFFIC, BUILDING WORK AND TRAINS, BUT NOT OF IT. THE LIGHT WEAVES ITS WAY DOWN THROUGH THE LEAVES - THE YELLOW AUTUMNESS THAT DRIPS FROM THE TREES - AND REFLECTS OFF THE WATER. I AM BLINDED, UNTIL I MOVE FORWARD, BREAKING UP THE SURFACE WITH EXPANDING CONCENTRIC CIRCLES THAT RADIATE FROM ME. THESE CIRCLES REACH THE BANK AND RETURN, OVERLAPPING AND INTERLACING, ALTERNATELY REFLECTING THE SKY ABOVE, AND REVEALING THE CLEAR DEPTHS BELOW. THE COLD SLIDES IN SUDDENLY, SLIPPING BETWEEN SKIN AND NEOPRENE. IT ENCIRCLES MY ANKLES COMPLETELY BEFORE SLIPPING DOWN TO EMBRACE MY FEET. I AM GRIPPED BY UNCERTAINTY BUT WALK ON, THE WATER PROTESTING AGAINST MY SHINS, JOSTLING, RIPPLING, BUBBLING. THE RIVER BED IS UNFAMILIAR AND MY FEET ARE UNSURE, FEELING EVERY LUMP, EDGE AND CREVICE THAT PRESSES ITSELF AGAINST MY SOLES.

I STUDY THE BANK AS IT SLIDES BY. WET LEAVES ARE PLASTERED TO ITS SIDES, AND ROOTS REACH DOWN TO THE WATER TO BE FED. THE PATH UNFURLS BEFORE ME, RUSHING AND TUMBLING FROM THE PAST IN TO THE FUTURE, TAKING ME WITH IT. MY SENSES ARE ASSAULTED - I AM DAZZLED. BY THE LIGHT, BY THE CONSTANT, MURMURING SPLASHES, BY THE CHATTERING OF THE BIRDS ABOVE ME, BY THE HIDDEN MOUNTAINS AND RAVINES BENEATH THE SURFACE THAT SEEK TO TOPPLE ME. MY HANDS ARE BECOMING NUMB AND I AM WEARY. BUT I CONTINUE, DRAWN ONWARDS THROUGH TUNNELS AND UNDER BRIDGES, TRAVERSING TIME, SPACE AND MEMORIES, STRAINING TO REACH THE PRESENT AND LEAVE WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND.'