Somebody's Boat
Rocking boat with the motion of the ocean,
My ocean, Unsettling Ocean, but the boat
Does not rock by way of the waves, it rocks
Because the occupants have nothing to do
Other than tilt the boat from side to side until
They die, waters unnaturally calm, flat,
Disturbed by unnaturally small ripples from
The rocking boat, disturbed by disturbed
Minds in the rocking boat that are wondering
Where they are, why they are there, if they
Are even alive, if they are trapped on the tight
Curve of time. One man jumped and returned
Dry as a bone, like he never jumped at all,
Another dipped down to drink and found his
Throat dry as a bone, like he never drank at
All, then they all jumped and returned dry
As a bone, like they never jumped at all, and
They all were in shock and awe. Tranquil
Bear trap, this rocking boat, and they concluded
That Death's scythe was simply lodged in
Their throats, hung up on the tendons—soon
The water will start to fall, they said, as the
Seafloor is taken away and all their heads fall
Off and roll, and the unnaturally calm waters
Will never feign being natural again.
Copyright © Daniel Handschuh | Year Posted 2021
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