There was once a bridge

A bridge that connected two banks of the river

A bridge that connected two brothers

A bridge over the river’s serene waters

The bridge was a bridge over the oblivion between the brother’s hearts

A bridge of connecting love

And as they wandered

Living life at their wish’s command

The bridge stayed

Connecting them with love

Even as they were miles apart

As the bridge grew older

The brothers aged with it

One conforming to

The other refusing

The teachings of their youth

The teachings of the river

Over which the bridge went over

And as the space between their hearts

Their values and ways

Expanded

The bridge expanded

But could not do so

As it wished

As it fell into disrepair

Into the oblivion

Soon

It conformed to be a plank

Over the space

The oblivion

As the love connecting the brothers shrank

And contracted

Till a weary journeyer

The weary journeyer

The one who knows all

And loves all

Came to visit the brothers

And repair the bridge

Our journeyer offered his services to one, then the other

Speaking of the other

Speaking of the love between each other

The love that used to be there

To the point to which he was sent away

From one

Then the other

And as they simultaneously pondered

Reflected

Wondered the purpose of their strange visitor

The bridge

Our bridge grew stronger

One plank

One hope and dream at a time

As it became stronger

The brothers rushed and ran

To the home of the other

Only to meet at the river

The river of their youth

Only with a brand-new bridge

And in the center

One old plank

And the brothers ran across

Embracing

Loving

Hoping

And they settled down together

One on each side

Of the river with a bridge

And the bridge connected their hearts

As the weary journeyer journeyed on

To repair another bridge

A brotherhood

A sisterhood

A marriage

A friendship

And the bridges between their hearts

By Elisabeth Smith ’28, Staff Writer

28esmith@montroseschool.org