lifeguard

shrinking riddles, flying up and around through and between you go and wait for certain tea time gestures of polite company giving in and running amok. clothes fly off, nails dig in, teeth come out and you are bruised and they cackle like halloween witches, chasing and looking for you. for your family. for your home. but you hide, so well. you hide and hide and hide and

flip into the pool, a twisted backflip off the high dive, a move no one could have expected, on your first trip out, something no one could have wanted, you, flying, hurtling towards the water below and splash

dive down
remember
touch the bottom
there is a yellow brick there
in the mud

there is a marsh
you paddle through
you recline and stare upwards
dragonflies stop and visit
children run and laugh, but it is silent
the boat stops and just floats, and your eyes flutter

you wake up sunburned and run towards shore, miraculously walking on water, running on water! screaming for someone to come and help you as you sink slowly into land on the shore.