it’s like you’re underwater

and you can’t breathe
you’re holding your

breath

wait a moment

wait another
the calmness is all over
the lucidity is ethereal
there’s nothing around

you don’t want to 
leave

ever

but then you try to fill your lungs

you can’t 

you can’t find the air
there is no air
where is the air?
WHERE IS THE AIR?

I need to breathe
I’m tired 

I want to give in

I want to sink to the bottom

I try to let the water fill my lungs

I can’t 

I paint

in the sand

I find sand
it’s soft

I use the twig
it’s a tiny twig
a tiny silver twig

the twig paints red

what’s this?

air?
I can breathe!
paint more!

each stroke is a gasp of air

I bet you thought

we weren’t going to find air
here is the air
here it is