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cade-cadwayPoems
I wake up in the dark To sand in my mouth and the sound of a million limping limbs Scales brushing against my belly and the nape of my neck A careless kick sends me back to sleep I pry my eyes apart. Something is different. Something reveals endless echoes of arms and legs. White. Sunlight Ripping through the darkness. And even though it hurts—makes my stomach curl up and my eyes drip till they’re dry I can’t feel it. But the sand burns until I blink And hear the shore drown beneath the tide. I blink And hear feathers clamber to the sand. I blink And hear eyes watch the world shake. They blink. And I move. Waves toss light along my shell as they curl into themselves Begging me to sprint Beckoning me to dance with them I’m just learning to crawl, though I’m just learning how tempting it is to stop Because I’m safe But they can pin my legs. They can snap my neck. They can drag me through the sand. You extend your hand to me I look to my left. No one’s here. I look to my right. No one’s here. I can’t look behind me, so I look ahead. I can’t look beyond you, so I look at you.
0
Mar 1, 2017
Mar 1, 2017 at 3:47 PM UTC
Shells Beneath the Sand
I wake up in the dark To sand in my mouth and the sound of a million limping limbs Scales brushing against my belly and the nape of my neck A careless kick sends me back to sleep I pry my eyes apart. Something is different. Something reveals endless echoes of arms and legs. White. Sunlight Ripping through the darkness. And even though it hurts—makes my stomach curl up and my eyes drip till they’re dry I can’t feel it. But the sand burns until I blink And hear the shore drown beneath the tide. I blink And hear feathers clamber to the sand. I blink And hear eyes watch the world shake. They blink. And I move. Waves toss light along my shell as they curl into themselves Begging me to sprint Beckoning me to dance with them I’m just learning to crawl, though I’m just learning how tempting it is to stop Because I’m safe But they can pin my legs. They can snap my neck. They can drag me through the sand. You extend your hand to me I look to my left. No one’s here. I look to my right. No one’s here. I can’t look behind me, so I look ahead. I can’t look beyond you, so I look at you.
cade-cadway
Written by
cade-cadway
Albuquerque
Mar 1, 2017
Mar 1, 2017 at 3:47 PM UTC
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