The Mostar Bridge

For many years the Mostar Bridge was the site of a well-known diving competition. The bridge had stood for more than 400 years and was a UNESCO world heritage site before being destroyed during the war in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990's. It has since been rebuilt.

The pale blue-green morning river

Grew bright with the sunlight of anticipation as it flowed near the bridge

Gurgling, babbling, murmuring on the rocky edges of the shore

Nipping, clipping, lapping at the toes crowded on its banks as if to say

"Make way for me; let me be witness to this day"

And then there was silence

And the river looked up to see the diver's feet leaving the time-worn stones of the bridge

In an arc, slowly, steadily, gracefully plunging downward

Until his body was one with the water

Leaving nary a ripple to be seen

Then suddenly the spectators lining the shore erupted with great cheer

Heads nodded, hands clasped, voices rose in glee

For in this famed diving competition there had been great victory

And the minarets thrust up over the horizon as if to catch a glimpse of the great sight

And a river of humanity flowed across the bridge, laughing, playing, reveling in a day well spent

Then the pale blue-green evening river

Grew dim as it passed beneath the bridge

Churning, rumbling, throbbing against the edges of the shore

Chopping, chipping, lashing at the empty rocks of its banks as if to say,

"Make way for me, since I have been witness to this day"

And then there was silence

And the river looked up and watched as shattered pieces blew off the bridge

In an arc, violently, rapidly, steadily plunging downward

Until they became one with the water

Sending fingers of spray grasping for the land

The suddenly a cacaphony of voices cried out in great agony

Bombs roared, rockets whistled, children began to flee

For in the war no one had been able to claim victory

And the minarets crumbled to the ground as if doubled over in great pain

And the people who stood stood divided by a bridge that was no more

And then there was silence

And the river, its waters muddied with debris

Quietly, softly, steadily turned and flowed out to sea

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