emerge free

life, is good

     a flutter of eyelids soaring to the

     horizon
except when its not

     thrum-thrum, thrum-thrum

     heartbeat, or drumbeat

     earthbeat or mybeat?

and then, flooding the emptiness

with the ghosts of grief

trying to make the past my future

     what is on the other side

     the veil of sky locking me in

     the small, safe places I know

but really, life is good

everyone knows me

     do I know me?

and I like what I do

     would it be possible to come alive?

and I like it in the shallow end

I don’t have to swim

and my friends are here

     what if I were truly, a mermaid?

     and slid from the rocks into the deep

     as the seals
    and returned home to lay eggs

     as the sea turtles
I could never leave

     I’d just have to take one step towards

     the horizon

Besides, I don’t want to do anything I’d

regret

     shivers of thrill, glimpses of delight

     wanting, longing, magnets

     drawing together

A sliver opens up

and moonlight breaks her light into the

crack

     yes.

perhaps, just one dance with her
shadow…

                                          -monikadenise 2022