a shepherd’s lesson on how not to drown;
the sea is a violent colour,
bruises, prunes.
the sea doesn’t believe you are royal,
it will swallow your crown.
no shepherd deserves to herd the water.
you’re just butterfly strokes
in a hurricane’s throat.
deep sneers at the way you throw up your arms:
a raft of sea birds do not fly like that.
do not lose yourself-
this is a waterbed.
we sojourn here, we do not come to die
we’ll soon leave for
the greener pastures.
when we finally know;
how to swim.