I dream of entering without needing to touch its powerful floors
Edges of earth and sandy shores.
Always edges — near
Great bodies of water. I
Skirt the edges. I
Watch them recede according to
Nature’s plan. And always — always —
I dream of being in the waters. In
Skirting, I play dangerous games. I know
I can’t be in because I know
I couldn’t get out. So I
Skirt and I
Self-tease. And in
Skirting, I understand the grander possibilities —
The difficult choices that are available. They are always
Within my view — within my ken. And
Nature’s plan sometimes allows the aggressive wetness
To touch and to further entice. (As if I needed further proof of
Its power.) But
Skirting is what I do. I’m very good at it.
Until and unless there is a day when
My power matches its power — I will
Continue in my practiced role.
It will have to suffice.
