The Ocean's Smile
The ocean waves,
With a faint smile that seemed ready to swallow me whole.
Then, I splashed in.
“A rip current.”
My mind twists and turns,
Torn into a thousand pieces.
Where on earth am I?
“Silence, mortal! I am the Jade Emperor!”
“Wait, why am I here?”
“I have summoned you.
But before you leave, hand over your gallbladder.”
“I don’t even have a gallbladder.”
Taking advantage of the Jade Emperor's moment of confusion,
I run for my life.
(Look at the nerve on this guy.)
Twisting and turning,
Swaying and escaping.
(Parallel swimming, survival stroke.)
I let go of the world.
(Then, the light of the Holy Spirit appeared, wrapping around him.)
Earth and sky.
Salt, sun, and light.
Leaving a handful of an angel's touch behind,
Silently,
Watching a father leave this place,
The Jade Emperor speaks:
“Don't you ever come back here again.”
A handshake with life:
My wife,
My daughters.
“Beep, beep” (Hospital monitors beeping)
Supported by them,
I held my wife’s hand,
And walked gently along the hunting grounds of the sand.
My daughters listen to the distant ocean
And the sound of their father’s
Present footsteps.
The Jade Emperor
Is still watching you.
(Muttering to himself)
“Don't any of you ever come back here!”
In the dead of winter,
This place
Is struck by an unknown blizzard.
And in the distant future,
The daughters
Will stare endlessly at the ocean's smile.
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