i began
crawling out
of the ocean
that was black

i began
climbing up
of a hole
that had no end

it felt like i could breathe
it felt like i could see

i felt two warm hands
grab my cold limbs
and pull me up
up
up

out.
free.

i could finally
be
free—

then i slipped.

scrambling to grab
the hands of my savior
but failing

and i fell.

i gasped for help,
feeling ink fill my lungs
the light begin to fade

i’m cold again
i’m choking again
i’m blind again

i let the dark envelope me

and dive back in to melancholy