i drowned
in the dream.
water blew over
my chest—
couldn’t breathe.
the pressure was blinding,
the silence deafening.
one minute, the waves roared far, far away;
the next, they carried us back
to our lies, as if to berate.

­  shh, don't breathe

and then i saw you
underwater.
so i pulled hard to save,
held your hand,
made you count to ten,
let it synchronize
with my heartbeat.

­  baby, listen to me

but as it rains,
why do i feel it
in some kind of way?
it’s five in the morning.
i lay awake to the sounds,
like nostalgia, almost.
i sleepy-write, midway stop,
hurry outside.

­  can't drown on a landing

can’t do it, sorry.
held out the hand, gripped it tight,
but if it slipped,
that was from the other side.
considering the current
that carries us,
drifting closer or apart.

­  cherishing might like it

i won’t be here any longer,
not much longer—
not today.