I used to watch her play in the poisonous sea
Dipping her feet into the water
Splashing
Only knee deep
She knew when it was too much
When she was playing in it too long
I remember holding her hand when the sea was too strong
Helping her get back on her feet

Her hopeful eyes of the future would pierce through me
Telling me to make her proud
To make her life better
She was always searching for something
Something to give her strength
Like the raging sea did

I still remember her dreams her life plans
Insecurities were strong but the future was ahead
How happy I was
Trusting her, trusting that she wouldn’t go too far
Responsibilities were too great for her then
She had to stand and carry herself, my brother and I
No time for the sea

Now she has slipped
Loneliness has caused the sea to fill
Filling up with poison from the bottles
That she consumed
She is neck deep and the sea is rising
I call out “Mom!”
Holding my hand out to catch her
She reaches but I can’t hold on
She keeps slipping
Drowning in the many bottles of poison with which she consumed

Memories of when
I used to watch her play in the poisonous sea
Dipping her feet into the water
Splashing
Only knee deep