Drowning
I felt the shove
At my back
And tried to turn
To find something
Firm to hold
To prevent my fall
That’s when I saw you
And my breath
Gave out
Hitting the water
But then the sinking began
The dragging down
By my wet clothes weight
Into the depths
I felt the deepening cold
Of lake water
Enter my body
And the fear too
Uncontrollable shivering
Is never
Pleasant
I sank slowly
The surface
The light
Dimming
It was the slowness
That frightened me
I needed to free myself
Of the weight
That drew me into darkness
Shedding clothes
That gripped my body
The barrier
Between life and air
There have been
More recent times
When falling into darkness
And the gut twisting
Feelings of despair
And the coldness of fear
And it was the need to let go
That saved me
And the urge
To grasp life
And head for the light.
