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.