she goes to the well
when she needs water
when she is thirsty
& the well keeps her alive

she goes every few days
nothing abnormal
nothing off course

but one day she pauses
& realizes some important things
that she'd never realized before

she is not a well
not quite as deep

& though she depends on the well
the well doesn't come to her for water
the well is kept alive by the ground

& maybe one day the well will die
when the ground that feeds it grows dry
and when the well goes
so will she

is she killing the well
when she takes the water out?
if so, she is killing herself

she is not a well
not quite as deep

& she also realizes
that there is only one way
to stop the process

then she closes her eyes
& finally
gives something back to the well

herself

04/28/2004

Author's Note: let's hope my well sits in an unconfined aquifer, huh? (to non-geology students... a well that won't ever run out.)

Posted on 05/02/2004
Copyright © 2025 Emily G Myers