Landscape with Drowning Woman

Go Fish Grammy you saygrinning at your six pairsto my one

I sink to the bottom of the seastarfish circlesomewhere my son floatsin a sea of cellshis fish-body bluesomewhere he breathesthrough tiny gills

I feel the force of your motherslipping through my legsI hear her piercing criesprotesting exile, preferringthe warmth of the sea-wombjelly fish float byI hold her to my breast, stay little one

Go Fish you repeat

I hear your voice far aboveI drift in the ocean currentlinger in sea grass andlong strands of kelplooking for my first bornstill at seven monthsangel fish with blue stripes

Go Fish Grammy

the sea grows deep as I risea pinch of salt in my hand seaweed woven through my hairlantern fish light the waymy lips spew bubblesI reach for a cardwith webbed fingers