Sea-Longing

about a girl in the past

This was gonna be about _________

when I discovered there's no room on this boat for a girl without a life vest.

"You'll take in too much

water, and me,

not knowing how to swim too well,

I'll end up going down with you.

So stay on the shore."

But of course you came anyway; I let you.

Then it's wave to ripple to current to floor

we're both cloaked in iron,

and for a moment the salt sea tastes okay.

Every exhale a lightening of the load, 

bubbles undulating up like a school of silversides,

the pressure from the outside dulling into a smooth caress. 

We're going to make it, I think.

I breathe in again,

but of course, there's only water.