by Christian Stephens<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Where did the oars come from a paddle boat or a galley? Who knows or cares.<\/p>\n
I just like to smack \u2018em on the water sometimes & scare away the fishes & maybe get a fleck<\/p>\n
of that tasty algae bloom to land on my tongue roll it around tuck it back in the molars<\/p>\n
with the liquified animal crackers & irremovable peanut butter.<\/p>\n
If no one\u2019s looking I might even dunk my head in gulp it all down slurp<\/p>\n
my way to infinity fill my tummy up till my head\u2019s turgid maybe fall in once or twice<\/p>\n
maybe climb back out a couple rounds maybe slap the water a few times more, really get it<\/p>\n
stirring, then fall back in & scream & swallow & scream & swallow & let all the little planktons<\/p>\n
swim their way into a new abyss.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll get tired eventually though.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll resign to the military cruiser and walk onto drier shore.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But the pier always calls after me & I\u2019m so thirsty & I hear the wailing bell of a trawler<\/p>\n
ready to make its mark on the grand ol\u2019 Pacific, its skipper bellowing a tune<\/p>\n
so harsh & so sentimental I almost want to make my own ocean,<\/p>\n
so I go back & get the oars & try to scrabble my way out there \u201cGood morning, Captain!\u201d I yell<\/p>\n
after taking on water flapping my little wooden wings like an ornithopter drowning in heaven.<\/p>\n
And the seadog turns, scowls, spits out cud<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n