Oceanic

Such a surprise

to fall overboard

into the briny sea

the shock of the cold

a mouth full of salt

spitting, coughing

the waves carelessly tossing you

batting you back and forth

like a ball stolen from a smaller kid

“What’s wrong? You want your ball back?

Here it is…just catch it!”

The ball is thrown agonizingly high overhead,

straight into the hands of a second bully.

And so it goes,

over and over again,

til you go home crying,

and your dad says

you need to stand up for yourself.

There is no alone more alone

than bobbing in the middle of the sea,

a hundred miles or more from land,

no ships on the horizon,

no desert isles with sandy beaches

palm trees laden with green coconuts,

just the sea and you,

and yes, I know there are millions

of living creatures

swimming beside you, below you,

tickling your feet,

maybe trying to take a bite.

Still, there is no alone more alone.

And the sun beats down,

burning your scalp bright red,

and you have a headache,

and you’re burning with thirst,

surrounded by endless water

that you can’t drink,

and you think,

This just really sucks.

You wonder if anyone noticed

that you were gone.

Has that cruise ship

continued to cut effortlessly

through the sea

to the next port of call?

Are people still sipping mojitos by the pool,

taking yoga classes on the deck at dawn,

feeling indecisive in front of a large buffet,

bravely walking up to the mic

on karaoke night

after three stiff drinks?

You’re going to be shark food soon,

and that’s just the way of things here.

Some fish eat,

and some fish get eaten,

and why did you think you were so special?