It Was Peaceful

It was peaceful down there Sitting on the bottom, Water muffling what I hear. A lovely day in autumn To explore some water, the task at hand. To escape temps getting hotter By treading lake instead of land. It was peaceful down there Looking up, seeing the shimmering Of what is usually blinding surface glare Instead be gorgeous graceful glimmering. Floating just barely, a little free Moment seen rarely, for young me But, to speak fairly, what else could be. It was peaceful, then it was dire See the distance to the surface When my lungs turned to metal on fire. Full panic, not anxious nor nervous Only desperate to get to my air Desperate to be off the floor Desperate to be pulled from despair Desperate to live, welled up from my core. It was peaceful, then it was dire When I couldn’t kick or stroke legs or arms Fast enough before the time did expire For me to surface, despite my head’s alarms. I remember next only the shore Dizzily aware that I wasn’t where I was before. An attempt to vomit, with a much different feeling, Like being squeezed in the lungs, and it sent me reeling Back to whatever is called floating in blackness, begging to come back When you can feel in the tether the slackness, but you’re still trying to track. When you’re keenly aware that you’re in danger and something is very wrong. And all you can do is hope to whatever gods that they made your body strong.