He is drowning
I wade in as far as I can
As far as he will let me
Stay back, he yells
I do as he says
Pulling branches from the shore
Extending them in his direction
Grab on, I call
But his arms barely move
I watch his head go under
I am frozen with fear
Then he resurfaces
Eyes wild
Choking on black water
Just leave, he says
Get away while you can
Don’t try and save me
Don’t be a fool
But something rises inside me
I dare not give it a name
And this time I don’t listen
To what he tells me to do
Instead I reach into my soul
And look around for something to throw
For something that floats
For anything
Then I begin to toss them
In his direction
One by one
The flotsam and jetsam
Of a disappointed life
Tattered and battered
But alive still with hope
It’s all I’ve got
Hoping they might land
Close enough to touch him
Close enough to move him
Close enough he can reach them
Close enough to hold on
A Collection of Perceptions 