You Can Only Drown Once

Looking into a crystal clear river, itching to bathe my feet Water’s look shallow, I’m buried in thought gone obsolete The trickling liquid beckons me over, promising of a cure My reality is a long time stolen, faltering into life obscure Torn between instinct and choice, ambivalence devouring I make a compromise to dip one toe, not too overpowering Testing water proves difficult, distracted by gaps and voids Cursing and blabbering alone, answering myself annoyed Anticipation is conflagration, expectation being unknown Dementia doesn’t have a reservation, comes with life alone One thing leads to another, I’ve wandered out of their cage This river’s measured now, my toe the approximate gauge Looking again find I’m knee deep, as memory starts to fade Pushing out further still, forgotten is the compromise made Keep wading outward, I have no comprehension of bounds River is unable to claim me, my mind was long ago drowned Your Favorite Rhyme Poem in August 2021 Poetry Contest Sponsored by Constance La France 10/08/2021