I move but the water doesn't move for me

I dove inside the algae stream, 

Where fish lurk, leery and gasping, 

Where water slushes, not blue, not clean,  

Sticking everywhere, filth outlasting. 

Where fish lurk, leery and gasping, 

I butterfly, I backstroke, muscles complaining.  

Sticking everywhere, filth outlasting. 

And my position, only maintaining.   

I butterfly, I backstroke, muscles complaining, 

No tides, no current, no cycle to join, 

And my position, only maintaining. 

No ferryman to toss my coin.  

No tides, no current, no cycle to join, 

Could be purgatory, or hell, just as well,

With no ferryman to toss my coin. 

Anywhere stagnant forges a cell.  

Could be purgatory, or hell, just as well.

The rush of water sounds like a scream

When anyplace stagnant forges a cell, 

I dove inside the algae stream.