A Drowning Man
If it weren’t for your exhaustion and panic,
you’d be swimming now,
riding the waves, enjoying the sun.
The bottom is a distant agreement
it’s frightening, I know,
to give up breathing,
all control.
And the shore,
how easy it is to envy those
on solid ground,
taking for granted
gravity and comfort,
but that’s not important now.
You watch beyond the breakers,
dangerous creatures rise and fall.
You can’t worry
about them now,
just keep concentrating, hoping
not to drown.
And every foot the bottom refuses,
but you're getting closer
to solid ground.
Every breath insists
your lungs have not given out.
All you have is a giant sky
that rides on your shoulders.
To the east, treacherous riptide
And to the west those cold black boulders
And threatening waves.
You have nothing to save
but your time
And your breath
swim!
as if your life depended on swimming
And it does.
Your body is buoyant.
even as your mind is panicked
but another foot closer
is more than enough.
to keep swimming
versus drowning.
Stop thinking about the space between,
enjoy this moment
swimming,
Feel the cold water
And the sun
on your face,
all you have is this second,
slow your pace.
And the waves draw you near
farther from that treacherous
finality
You always feared.
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