Throat raw and lungs burning:
the drowning that never ended.
The ocean follows two steps behind…
concurrent footfall on my heels,
Would it find me if I stop for one minute?
Dry-drowning is mostly a myth,
but I understand the imagery’s reach;
– a campfire story that has no basis in medicine –
I’ve long since left that beach,
and I still find sand in my hair,
and a single drop lodged deep in my ear,
I can’t shake it out, can’t shake it out,
the ocean’s roar is all I can hear.
“Come Back! Come back to me, my dear!”
Charl Landsberg is a South African poet, writer, musician, artist, and queer rights activist. Their work often focuses on social issues and sometimes focuses on fantasy and science fiction.