my ship sank three years ago
slowly, the water was cold and
the captain screamed
but went down
with
his
ship
a floral cough
as salt swept in and the oxygen
sleeping in me
woke up
and scattered, well I was scattered
and the captain told me
well kid
we all die
just swallow and swim deeper
it’ll be faster
better that way
it’s okay
we all go
so I swallowed salt
and breathed with the fish
oh, they must have thought
it was beautiful
and I must confess, I almost thought
so too.
I wish I could say
I stopped
when I sank
to the lowest
oh, the lowest
but even there the water was clear
and when I started breathing it
I admired the light there
or rather
the lack of it
because some things are better dark
and before I died
I drank my coffee black
b.m.c.