tonight the lake is sepia and still
consuming stars directly from the sky
its hidden secrets coming out to ****
and fittingly, I’ve wandered here to die

the water quivers as his eyelids close
I take a breath and dive beneath the waves
enraptured by the underwater glow
of midnight stars he’s hiding in his caves

has drowning ever been this beautiful?
I ask as water permeates my sides
I drink it in—the mermaid of his soul
oh, this is how it feels to be alive

one hundred miles from the starry veil
the water is roaring and we inhale