Mary Newell
Adrift in undrinkable waters
“Between words and deeds there is a sea”
-Angela Merkel

As a toddler, in search of
starfish, a rip tide almost
carried me away. Safe arms
surrounded tumbling hollers.

“Almost” is a long way from
drowning. Sand in the mouth,
sea vomit, limbs flailing -
then home to lap of comfort.

Distant calamities trouble calm -
attempted rescues, urgencies
salt/ famish/ heatstroke/ topsize
Ocean swallows, stays serene.

Hands can’t reach through newscast
to help those stripped from home
who risk the turbulent vault
that might swirl them to safety...

The ocean tantalizes.
Seduced by its rhythmic pulse,
I forget undertow, dead zones,
toxic cargo permutating cells.