Deepsea Devotion

she floats on watery planks
hands anchor her to wavering land
suspended salt carpet kisses her seasick
and all is green and rolling till she falls
breaks the salty window
crashes waves
submerged,
diving drowning lonely and unanchored

engulfed
she thinks till she forgets,
drifts towards dark and then
deepening red,
tendrils reach out biting, skin and saline
and all turns electric
shock of white pain and entangled sea limbs

girl turned barnacle
clinging, heart hardened a closed clam,
swims along, lips parted, a confession
of bubble words and foaming love
her tongue like coral, pink grooves
seeking out the kiss-sting of unwilling lips
and she knew the jellyfish did not love her
but she knew nothing but blood red tentacle blooms
so she followed.

waves whittled canals in her arms,
she trailed scarlet
contracting clenched toes,
an aquatic addition to the sea floor
skin strips, ribbons rippling behind her
a torque in her tentacles, gliding behind
to feel the thousand bee stings and the burn
of deepsea devotion.


By Davis Dubose Marler